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> An apology would not come amiss Ian! Sorry, I have no intention of withdrawing my comments, in the light of my own personal experience in France on these issues. Many mines, particularly in the North-East (Alsace, Lorriane, Franche-Comté) have been irrevocably rendered useless for research by large working parties of, mostly Alsacian, cavers, emptying backfill and doing shoring and masonry work in order to present an underground system (some of which go back to the 15th century) "accessible" to visitors (mostly other cavers) but where the scientific evidence has been completely destroyed by absence (or even hindrance) of specialist examination beforehand. Mining archaeology 'academics' in France are all skille din underground techniques and often hold cavers' licencses ; they are however first and foremost recognised by the Culture Ministry and thus benefit from official legal archaeological field permits and often full three year dig pemrits, necessary in regard to the legal archaeological status of mines. Yours, Ian Cowburn