Peter
Yes - interesting problem.
How are you going to deal with the modern Wheal Jane whose primary product
from value point of view was probably tin yet produced significantly more
(6x) zinc than tin? As this mine also produced some 600 tonnes of
copper/year will it appear under all three minerals?
Tony
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Claughton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2011 10:46 AM
Subject: Re: Copper Concentration in England
> At 17:34 05/11/2011, Tony Brooks wrote:
>>This discussion brings up the point as to how NAMHO is going to deal with
>>mines which were polymetallic - a situation that was very common here in
>>Cornwall?
>
> Tony,
>
> Yes, this has come up in discussion in connection with the assessments for
> both zinc and copper, and the later methods of ore processing,
> particularly the use of froth flotation. Unfortunately it is in this area
> that our policy of assessing the extractive industries by categories of
> minerals does rather come unstuck. Looking at lead and zinc separately
> from copper and from tin, tungsten etc. is fine when mines were
> predominantly producing just those minerals but, by the late 19th century,
> the demand for other minerals which had been regarded as waste does rather
> complicate the picture. The realisation that most mineral deposits were
> really polymetallic and the development of techniques such as froth
> flotation where some mines by the early 20th century were producing a
> suite of minerals defies categorisation by minerals.
>
> I suspect we are going to have to assess ore processing across the
> metalliferous industries a small separate section, covering the
> archaeology of techniques such as froth flotation, rather than duplicating
> the data in each of the category themes. And, in the case of flotation
> where much of the early development work was in Wales, we would not be
> confined by national boundaries.
>
> Peter
>
>
> Dr Peter Claughton,
> Blaenpant Morfil, nr. Rosebush, Clynderwen, Pembrokeshire, Wales SA66
> 7RE.
> Tel. +44 (0)1437 532578; Fax. +44 (0)1437 532921; Mobile +44 (0)7831
> 427599
>
> Hon. University Fellow - College of Humanities, University of Exeter
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