Historical Metallurgy

in the mines. It was there that one of the Kazier shaft and was employed to drain Mercury mining oldest mining museums was founded in the mine for 160 years. 1949. Douglas Perham organized the museums museum and opened it to the public in the old adobe house of George Carson, built Monte Amiata Mercury Mines in O. Puche Riart, L.F. Mazadiego Martínez, in 1848. In 1973, the Department of Parks Abbadia San Salvatore, Grosseto Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, of the County of Santa Clara bought the Province, Italy Madrid, Spain terrain for preservation. L. Jordá Bordehore The old Halleck house — constructed The Roman writer Pliny the Elder Saint Louis University, Madrid, Spain in brick and known as the “Big House” (27 mentioned the collecting of cinnabar ore rooms) — was rented by the Department at Montes Tuniatus, known today as of Parks in 1983 and bought in 1987. This Monte Amiata. The first written document Introduction institution also bought Constance Per - dates back to 1217. After the Middle Ages, ham’s collection. In the Big House, the new the mines were probably abandoned, Mercury mining districts have Museum of the New Almaden Mercury however, they were reactivated in the 19th recently been the site of intense cultural Mines was inagurated in July 1998. This century. After the mercury crisis in 1973, activities, for example: at Abbadia San Sal - museum contains maps of the enormous these mines were closed (Fig. 2). vatore, where the Italian mercury mines of network of mining galleries, historical pic - The idea of creating a museum in this Monte Amiata are located, the first Con - tures, and devices of the mining and met - region was discussed in the October/ gress on Preservation of Mining Heritage allurgical exploitation, as well as tools December 1990 issue of the magazine in Italy 1 was held on November 15, 1991; used by the miners. A diorama reproduces Dossier di urbanistica e cultura del territorio. in Almadén, the First Scientific Session of the underground of the mine. The paper contained architechtural designs the Spanish Society for the Protection of The Park of the New Almaden Quick - 2 the Geological and Mining Heritage took silver Council (which almost reaches Sili - Table 1. World mercury production — main districts place on October 21-22, 1996; and the con Valley), is close to 4000 acres (1618 Locality Total production sixth International Symposium on Cul - hectares) of forest pierced by numerous in flasks tural Heritage in Geosciences, Mining and mines with sealed entrances. (1 flask = 34.5 kg) Metallurgy in Idria, Slovenia, was held on Almadén, Spain 7 500 000 June 17-21, 2002. The main mercury Idria, Slovenia 3 000 000 mines in the western countries were trans - Idria Mercury Mine, Slovenia Monte Amiata, Italy 2 000 000 formed into museums. The most remark - Huancavelíca, Peru 1 500 000 able one is in Idria, Slovenia, which is a The Idria mine is the second largest New Almadén, California, U.S.A 1 100 000 candidate for UNESCO’s World Heritage mercury mine in the world. The deposit Fig 1. Franciska’s shaft, view from the miners old district, List. Table 1 gives the world mercury pro - was discovered in 1490. During the first Idrija. Picture by Luis Jordá, 2002. duc tion during the life of the mines. 20 years, only native mercury was recov - ered. In 1508, rich cinnabar ore was dis - covered in the Middle Triassic Skonca New Almaden Mercury Mines in beds at a depth of 42 m (Dizdarevic, California, United States 2001). After the mercury crisis in 1970, the mine began closure in 1995 and will Mining in New Almadén was first finish in 2005. At the Idria Tourist mine developed by the Mexican cavalry officer (Antoniev Rov) , it is now possible to tour Andrés Castillero in 1845, who noticed two levels, which will be increased to four that the Indian natives in Ohlone painted in 2005, with another entrance at Fran - the walls of the Santa Clara mission with ciska’s shaft (Fig. 1). The rest of the levels Fig 2. Monte Amiata mercury mine and factory (after vermilion (cinnabar). Later on, the prop - below 150 metres will be flooded. Tognarini, 1991). erty was taken over by captain Henry Hal - The Idria Town Museum was inagu - leck. J. Marshall discovered gold in rated some years ago in the Gewerknegg California, triggering the precious metal castle and covers the 500-year history of rush of 1848. Mercury was necessary for the mine and town. It was declared the amalgamation and its mining experienced best European museum of industrial and a great impulse. During the peak years, technical heritage in 1997. Another 1800 people (some from China) worked museum of technical progress is located in the Franciska shaft, where several restored 1 Reabilitacione delle aree minerarie. mining machines and medical devices are 2 Sesión Cientifica de la Sociedad Española para la Defensa del exhibited. The 13.5 m diameter wood Patrimonio Geológico y Minero. draw wheel, called Kamst, stands near the

80 CIM Bulletin I Vol. 96, N° 1070 Historical Metallurgy that cover the mining area of Abbadia San The mine and the plant are located The amalgamation process for the Salvatore. In 1991, the first Congress on within the city boundaries. The mine was new silver mines in South America needed Italian Mining Heritage was organized to closed in 1994 leaving behind a few aban - an enormous amount of mercury. Mining reactivate the project on a museum park on doned open pits and tailings. Currently, highly increased during the 17th century mercury mining of Monte Amiata. The the ecological problems caused by one and new deposits such as Almadenejos project was promoted by the municipalities hundred years of mining have not yet were discovered nearby. In 1755, at the of the region as well as the Environmental been dealt with. The abandoned plant old Castle mine, the worst fire ever broke Department of Siena and Grosseto, the contains some important elements of out in Almaden. Due to bad mining con - archives of the Toscana region and the Uni - industrial heritage which should be pre - ditions and huge amounts of wood for versity of Siena. The aim of the project was served. An international field study to timbering, the fire easily spread through - to recover buildings, archives, and devices, raise the attention of the media and out the mine. The fire burned for two arrange several areas as a museum, and pre - authorities of the need for an ecological years! The world’s total cinnabar produc - pare recreation areas. recovery of this area was organized by the tion decreased and the global trade was A 1991 law established a list of Environmental Union of the Gorlovka’s filled with ore from Idria. National Parks in Italy. In November 1993, Youth from July 15 to 29, 2001. To improve the formation and capa - new parks were added and among the pro - bilities of the Almaden workers, the Alam - posals was the Museum Park of the mines den School of Mines was created in 1777 of Monte Amiata in Toscana 3. Today, the Almaden Mercury Mines in Spain (precursor of the Madrid School of Mining Park integrates the natural and Mines). The famous Spanish mining engi - faunistic surroundings of Monte Amiata. A Pliny pointed out that the Almaden neer, Diego the Larrañaga, was nominated visit to the museum includes the under - mercury deposit was already known and director of the mine in 1803. Under his ground gallery and a movie about mining and was in operation during the 4th cen - direction, the method of wood timbering in the area as well as diseases of the work - tury B.C. The region’s first name was “Sis - was changed to brick rubblework. This ers. The tour also includes the geological apo,” which means “mine” in the Celtic new method stopped fires and cave-ins, and natural sites, an excursion to the his - language. Under the Romans, the which increased the security in the mine. torical centre of Abbadia San Salvatore and exploitation of the mine was limited. The The mining and smelting methods the handicraft centre. ore containers were sealed at the mine, did not change much during one hundred transported to the Mediterranean coast of years. Cermak Spirek continuous- Cartagena and shipped to Italy where the working smelters were introduced in Huancavelica Mines, Peru cinnabar was processed. 1905, and the mining method changed to The Roman period is well docu - cut-and-fill in 1914. In 1954, modern The Huancavelica mines were discov - mented. During the period of the Visig - smelters were installed, which still stand ered in 1563. The production was mainly othic monarchies, there is a lack of today. The mining method changed to concentrated in the Viceroyalty of Peru, information that lasted until Arab domi - VCR in 1981. The mine was mechanized with important quantities applied into the nation. In the 8th century, the Arabs called to lower mercury prices and decrease metallurgical plants of Potosí. A small part this place Hisn- Al- Maden, which means injuries due to poisoning. was shipped to New Spain together with Fort of the Mineral. More than one thou - The mineral extraction ended in May shipments from Alamadén. In Huancavel - sand people worked in the mine under the 2002. The metallurgy in the Almaden Old ica, the main heritage is the colonial archi - Arabs. The Almaden mine was recovered mine will last — using the stocked min - tecture such as the cathedral on San by Spanish Christian kings in 1212. eral — until the year 2005. Today, the Sebastian square. Few mining and metallur - open pit in Almadenejos is undergoing a gical elements are preserved, except for the Fig 3. Colonial smelting of Qoripaccha, Huancavelica, Peru. restoration process. All the shafts are colonial smelters of Qoripaccha (Fig. 3). abandoned; San Joaquin’s shaft reached 675 m deep, San Teodoro, 500 m, and San Aquilino, 350 m. Nikitovka Mines, Ukraine The first mining conservation action in Almaden was the inauguration of the The Nikitovka mines are located in Historical Mining Museum Francisco the region of Gorlovka — Donetsk — in Pablo Holgado on the day of Saint Barbara the Ukraine. There are references of work in 1989. The material recovery began in carried out under the Greeks and Romans. 1984. Some years later, the Mayasa The main deposit was discovered in 1879 Museum, located in a small building inside by A.V. Minekov, a mine geologist, how - the metallurgy enclosure 4 in Almadén, was ever, work only began in 1885, when Ger - opened. Another achievement was the man engineers designed the underground declaration of the Bustamante kilns as sites methods (the railway was opened some of cultural interest (Fig. 4). years later). People began to settle in the In October 1996, during the First Sci - area in 1886. In 1912, there were 338 entific Session of the Spanish Society of homes for miners and 12 large huts, a hos - Geological and Mining Heritage 5 in pital with 34 beds, a school, a bookstore Almadén, the Manifesto for recovering the and a church. Almadén Historical and Mining Heritage

3 Parque-Museo delle Miniere del Monte Amiata. 4 Cerco de buitrones in ancient Spanish.

April 2003 81 Historical Metallurgy

Fig 4. Bustamante kilns, Almadén. Photo by O. Puche. Fig. 5. Almaden School of Mines. Photo from archives at Fig. 6. Ancient shaft driven by prisoners, Baritel San Escuela de Minas. Carlos, Almadenejos. Photo by O. Puche.

Fig. 7. Main metallurgy enclosure in Almadén: Cerco San Teodoro. The last ore stock in front of the shaft. Photo by was divulged and the development of a L. Jorda, 2002. mining park was requested. Within this park, the following buildings and mining plants must be considered: the Almadén Old mine and Nueva Concepción mine in Almadenejos; the Academy of Mines (18th century; Fig. 5); San Rafael Hospital for Miners (18th century); hexagonal arena (18th century); Fúcares House Palace Quinto del Hierro , i.e., Fifth of Iron, with (16th century); the old San Carlos shaft 6 in large developing narrow trenches. Almadenejos (18th century; Fig. 6); alude - Although many positive steps have les or Bustamante kilns (17th to 20th cen - been carried out in the past few years, some turies); Carlos IV Gate and the metallurgy important heritage elements were PUCHE RIART, O. and MAZADIEGO enclosure of Almadén (18th century); met - destroyed, for example, the access Gate to MARTÁNEZ, L.F., 1996. Del Gabinete allurgy enclosure in Almadenejos (18th the Pozo mine enclosure was demolished mineralógico y paleontológico de la Aca - century); sentenced’ gallery 7 (18th cen - during the widening of the Cordoba road at demia de Minas de Almadén a la mina tury); Retamar Castle (Middle Ages); San the beginning of the 1990s. The last amount museo (1777-1996). In Actas de la Primera Aguilino; San Teodoro; San Joaquín shafts of ore was extracted in May 2002 (Fig. 7). Sesión Científica sobre Patrimonio Minero and Diógenes mine; and the House of the Metalúrgico. Edited by L. Mansilla Plaza Superintendent. The historical mining in and R.C. Fernández Barba. Ciudad Real. Universidad Castilla-La Mancha, Colec - Almadén and Puertollano (coal) is inte - Bibliography tion, Ciencia y Técnica, 15, p. 83-94. grated in the Spanish possible candidates PUCHE RIART, O. and RÁBANO GUTIÉRREZ, for the World Heritage List. BAGIN, A., 2002. The Horrors of Donbass, I. (Editors), 1997. Manifiesto para la reha - The Jiménez Villegas Foundation was Cinnabar Eden. Green Movement of Don - bilitación del Patrimonio Histórico Minero created in 1999 by Minas de Almadén y bass, Ukraine, http://www.bakhmat.org/ de Almadén. Boletín SEDPGYM, 6, p. 3-4. en/tour-mercury.html. Arrayanes, Mayasa and the Local Govern - PUCHE RIART, O. and RÁBANO GUTIÉR - BERKELEY GEOIMAGES , 2002. New Idria ment of the Ciudad Real Province, with REZ, I. (Editors), 1999. Fundación para el main adit, http://geoimages.berkeley.edu/ desarrollo de la comarca de Almadén. the aim of recovering the Historical Min - GeoImages/BainCalif/CAL400/mainadit.html. Boletín SEDPGYM, 12, p. 28. ing Heritage. The plan was to rehabilitate DIZDAREVIC, T., 2001. The influence of mer - SITAR, S., 2002. Idrija in four world space the sentenced’ gallery, restore the Charles cury production in Idrija mine on the dimensions. Proceedings, 6th Interna - IV Gate, and to convert the ancient miners environment in the Idrija region and over tional Symposium Cultural Heritage in hospital into a mining museum and his - a broad area. RMZ — Materials and Geosciences, Mining and Metallurgy. Idri - torical archives. As of yet, only the miners’ Geoenvironment, 48, p. 56-64. jia Mercury mine, p. 1-4. HERNÁNDEZ SOBRINO, A., 1995. Las minas STARRS, P., 2002. New Idria. Berkeley hospital was restored, with a grant from de Almadén. Mayasa, Madrid, 116 p. the Cajamadrid Bank. University of California, http://geogweb. JORDÁ BORDEHORE, L., 2002. La mina de berkeley.edu/GeoImages/Starrs/NEWIDRIA. It is neceasary to consider not only Idrija, Eslovenia. Revista Industria y Min - html. Almadén, but also the surrounding areas ería, 349, p. 42-44. STRAPPA, O., 1974. Histoire de l’industrie du such as Almadenejos. There is a vast min - LESKOVEC, I., 1995. Idrijski Rudnik. Zaklad, mercure en Italie. In Actas I Congreso Inter - ing heritage dating back to the 18th cen - Idrija, 104 p. nacional del Mercurio. Fábrica Nacional de tury, such as, the Saint Charles old shaft in MATURANA CAMPOS, S. and HERNANDEZ Moneda y Timbre, Tomo I, p. 99-107. SOBRINO, A., 1995. Almadén del Azogue. the Nueva Concepción mine (where the TOGNARINI, I., 1991. Progetto di Parco- Revista Bocamina, Epoca I, 1, p. 38-64. Museo delle miniere di mercurio dell’Ami - development of a museum is also needed), METALLURGY — LIBRARIES-ARCHIVES- or the metallurgy enclosure with the ata. In Atti dell’Incontro Riabilitazione MUSEUMS, 2002. Idrija: Idria Mercury delle aree minerarie. Comune di Abbadia remainder of Bustamante kilns. There is Mine and Idria Municipal Museum. San Salvatore, p. 21-25. also an interesting Roman mine called

5 Sedpgym : Sociedad Española para Defensa del Patrimonio Geológico y Minero.

6 Baritel in ancient Spanish. Originally published in CIM Magazine , April, 2003. Reprinted with the permission of CIM 7 Galeria de forzados. Prisoners used to work inside the mine, moving small shafts and doing other hard work. www.cim.org

82 CIM Bulletin I Vol. 96, N° 1070