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In updating the "Cornish Mines" volume originally published by Exeter University, we are adding data from the Mineral Statistics omitted in the original edition. This includes data for "gossan" which was produced by mines particularly in the Wheal Jane area. The geological meaning for gossan is of course well known (the ferruginous weathered capping typically found in association with sulphide mineralisation), but can anyone say what it was used for commercially? There are references to attempts to extract gold from gossans in that area in the early 1850's gold boom, but it seems unlikely this ever led to anything. The Mineral Statistics data lists it seperately from ochre, umber, & iron ore which may have had similar uses. Alasdair Neill.