An Archaeologist's Guide to Mining Terminology
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AUSTRALASIAN HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, I5, I997 An Archaeologist'sGuide to Mining Terminology Ited 5as NEVILLEA. RITCHIEAND RAY HOOKER ing Iter the The authors present a glossary of mining terminology commonly used in Australia and New Zealand. The npl definitions and useagescome from historical and contemporary sources and consideration is given to those most frequently encounteredby archaeologists. The terms relate to alluvial mining, hard rock mining, ore rlll9 processing,and coal mining. rng. the \on resultantmodified landforms and relicswhich arelikely to be rnd Thereare literally thousandsof scientificand technicalterms ,of which have been coined to describevarious aspects of the encounteredby or to be of relevanceto field archaeologists processing metalliferousand non-metallic ores. working in mining regionsparticularly in New Zealandbut 1,raS miningand of M. Manyterms have a wide varietyof acceptedmeanings, or their also in the wider Australasia.Significant examples, regional :of meaningshave changed over time. Otherterms which usedto variants,the dateof introductionof technologicalinnovations, trrng be widely used(e.g. those associated with sluice-mining)are and specificallyNew 7na\andusages are also noted.Related Ito seldom used today. The use of some terms is limited to terms and terms which are defined elsewherein the text are nial restrictedmining localities (often arising from Comish or printedin italics. other ethnic mining slang),or they are usedin a sensethat While many of the terms will be familiar to Australian differsfrom thenorm; for instance,Henderson noted a number ella archaeologists,the authorshave not specificallyexamined' v)7 of local variantswhile working in minesat Reeftonon the Australian historical mining literature nor attempted to WestCoast of New T.ealand.l nla. incorporatethe numerousterms associated with Comish-type 3ln In the nineteenthcentury mining engineeringwas a mining and copper refining in Australia.An unpublished t.D. particularlyinnovative field, especiallywith regard to ore glossaryof theseterms by JackConnell and someother useful rtit1' treatmentsand processingmachinery. The more innovative Australianmining referencesare cited in the bibliography.2 nial mining companiesupgraded their plant periodically,while Although manganeseand copper mining in New Zealand(on :s of otherspersevered with outmodedequipment and systemsor Kawau Island c.1841-1842) predatesany other form of stuckwith techniqueswhich were in voguewhen their plant mining,by any standardsit wassmall scale and never likely to glossaryhas highlighted la\ e was established.Research for this amountto muchbecause of thesmall size of theore bodies, the the regionaldifferences in miningtechnology and techniques. distanceto markets,and problems associated with smeltingthe .1me The following lists havebeen compiled by the authorsto ore. tom assist archaeologists(especially those involved in site itint recording)to: TERMSASSOCIATED . recognise physical features and often long obsolete WITH ALLUVIAL MINING -,rait machinerycomponents on historicmining sites; alluvial gold: gold found in alluvium,ie riverineor estuarine help . encouragethe use of establishedor well-definedterms to depositsof sandor gravel.Alluvial denotesthe materialhas :rn-q. accuratelydescribe machinery and site featuresto avoid beenwashed and transportedby water. :ass. |\\ s confusion; amalgamatingtables: refer processing section. ione enablethe more accurateinterpretion of mining methods auriferous:having gold content. from the survivingfield evidence; banjo/banjoing: (the term banjo is also applied to a short . iCE facilitatemore accurate coding of miningsite types for the handledshovel) This methodof alluvial goldminingwas used {lme purposesof comparativeanalysis and research,and extensivelyon the Hill End and Tambaroorafields in New v)7 management; South Wales.3The method involves the excavationof a . assist in understandingterms frequently cited in circular hole in a creek bank into which washdirt is contemporarymining literature. stockpiledready for washing.Next a trenchwas dug between The cited terms are restrictedto physical featuresor the stockpiling-holeand the creek (or water-hole).This machineryassociated with mining,ie potentialarchaeological createda banjo-likefeature, hence the derivationof the term. features.For convenience,they havebeen allocated into four The stockpiling hole was always dug at a slightly higher groups,viz. termsassociated with: elevationthan the trench.The latter was lined with rocks or housed l. alluvialmining and associated technology and landforms; a wooden sluice box. The method of washingand recoveringgold involvedusing a gold panas a ladleto splash 2. hardrock miningand associated technology; waterup the trenchand into the stockpileto washsome of the 3. oreprocessing or processingmachinery; washdirt down the trench. In practicethe lighter dirt was 4. termsspecifically associated with coalmining. supposedto be carried down into the waterholeor stream while gold in' Some equipmentand techniquesare common to both the heavier was trappedin the stonesor the presence alluvial (particularlydeep lead) and hardrock mining.These sluice-boxlaid in the trench.Despite the of many goldrushes includeitems associated with tunnelling,water supply, motive Australianminers in New Zealandduring the first power,and ore crush"ingand treatmenl.They reflect similar in Otago, banjoing is not mentionedin the New Zealand meansof overcomingcommon problems. Where termshave mining literatureand any field evidenceof it has long since multiplemeanings and are associated with differentaspects of disappeared. mining,e.g. tailings, they are cited, where appropriate, in each beachlead: concentration of fine gold in old marinesediments isof group; otherwise they are cited in the category they most (usuallyconsolidated and buried). Beach leads are often some specificallyrefer to. The authorshave attempted to cover all distancefrom modernshorelines and at differentheights (see the termsassociated with mining and ore-processing,and the bLacksanding). Fig. 1: A portable gold table being used Jbr b lacks anding at Ch ar lesnwn, Wesr Coast, South Island, New Zealand. Note the woodenflumes in the background (D epa rtment of Co ns e rv ation colle cti on, Westland). bedrock:in alluvialmining parlance, the hard rock underlying claim: an area of land which has been peggedand legally alluvium.Often the richest auriferous deposits were located on assignedto a mineror mining company(by virtueof a license the alluvium/bedrockinterface. or miner'sright) to work for a specifiedperiod. A claim was blacksanding: a form of mining restrictedto the WestCoast of generallysmaller and cheaperbut less securethan a mining the South Island. Blacksand mining (blacksanding) lease. commencedbelatedly when it was realisedthat the extensive cleaningup: seewashing up. black magneticironsand beaches of the WestCoast contained ! cradle: a simplebut effectivemanually operated device used I rich depositsof fine gold (often in presence beachleads). The by diggers to separategold from washdirt by meansof a of gold in worthwhile quantities within { sea-beachesis rocking motion. Cradleswere an advanceon the basic gold relatively uncommon on a worldwide level. Blacksanders pan (seepanning) andwere much fasterto usethan a pan. oftenemploy small wheeled sluice boxes which canbe readily crevicing: the recovery of gold, usually by picking and movedalong a beach(Fig. I ). SeeHooker for description.a scraping,from crevicesin bedrock or the induratedbases of blasting: in some hydraulic claims, a small tunnel was streambeds. excavatedat the baseof a work face and a number of kegs of dam (mining dam): a structureof earth,masonry, concrete or powder introduced and ignited. The resultant blast was a timber intended to loosen the washdirt and save a considerable built acrossa watercourseto impondwater, usually for : alluvial mining purposessuch amountof waterwhich would otherwisebe requiredto break as hydraulic sluicing. As opposedto reservoirswhich down the face.Blasting was principallyemployed during dry are water storagescreated by either excavatinga depression I seasonsor in dry locationsto savewater because much more or by erectingan earthen, wooden, concrete I waterwas requiredfor breakingdown banksthan for washing or masonry structureusually on a flat the freeddirt. terrace.Incoming water was usually fed in by waterraces, and deliveredto work sitesby eitherraces or piping.In practice,in out: removingwashdirt blocking by driving or shaftingdown New Zealand at least, there was virtually no distinction a leadand excavating gallery(which to a wasusually timbered between dams and reservoirs. Wardens Courts were large up and stonesstacked to supportthe roof). responsiblefor issuingdam licenseswhich encompassedany bonanza(jeweller's sftop): small alluvial leads(or patchesof structurefor storing water for mining purposes.Reservoirs ore)of exceptionalrichness. tendsto be usedfor the storageof potablewater supplies. bottom: an induratedlayer below an auriferous alluvial deadman (holdfast):a log or similarlyshaped object used for deposit.Often the bottom and bedrock are one and the same anchoringor manipulatinggold dredgesin riversor ponds,or (seefalsebottom). in tenestrial situationsfor manoeuvringdevices such as bucket elevator: a manually operatedor more typically winches or cranes used for shifting large boulders (they poweredcontinuous chain ofbuckets used to raisewashdirt for probably had many other applicationson