THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF MINES AND MINERAL SCIENCES

MINING ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

DE RE METALLICA by GEORGIUS AGRICOLA:

Beginning of Modern Mining Theory and Practice

NAME: MOFFAT PHIRI

SIN: 18120449
COURSE: MI 210
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 THE MINER AND THE MINING THEORY
3.0 PROSPECTING: THE FINDING OF VEINS
5.0 THE MINING OF VEINS
6.0 EXTRACTION: THE DIGING OF ORE
7.0 MINER’S TOOLS AND MACHINES
8.0 MINERAL ASSAYING AND SMELTING
9.0 CONCLUSION
10.0 REFERNCES

LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Knowledge on the beginning of the modern mining theory.
• An understanding on the methods and practices used at the
beginning of technical mining.
 1.0 INTRODUCTION
• Mining is the process or activity of extracting useful
minerals from the earth’s crust. De re Metallica by
Georgius Agricola was one of the earliest complete
manuscripts on mining, first ever outlining mining technical
work. It outlines the beginning of the modern mining theory
as well how as well as the practices and methods used.
• This literature highlights the very genesis of technical
mining theory as well as the practices used.
2.0 THE MINER AND THE MINING THEORY
• The miner was required to have knowledge in philosophy
to understand the origin, medicine that he may be able to
look after his workmen, astronomy that so that he was
able to judge the direction of veins, surveying so that he
was able to estimate the depth of the shaft and drawing
so that he was able to draw plans of his own machinery.
• This was the beginning of prospecting/exploration,
development and exploitation, which in our present
constitute the mining theory.
3.0 PROSPECTING: THE FINDING OF VEINS

• Agricola described four best places to mine. These

included mountains, hills, valleys and plains.
• Mountains were best recommended to mine, and the
best types were those that were medium sized and
connected to other mountains in ranges.
• Forested mountains near running water were
advantageous because then was a steady supply of
timber for mining shafts and machines, and the water for
smelters and underground pumps. With water from rivers
and springs, miners would tell minerals were
underground by taste and look.
• To describe how to find veins, he claimed that bubbling
water would indicate a nearby vein because veins
produced the water. Veins would emit warmth and the
plants would grow above the veins and appeared to be
wet rather than frosted white in cold.
• He suggested looking for exposed veins as well as
searching streams for metals and gems washed from
the veins, because gold found in rivers was thought to
be washed from a large vein.
• He also recommended trenching to investigate veins
beneath the surface.
• Veins differ very much from one another in depth, width
and length. He described many different forms of these
veins and a compass to determine the direction of veins.
He claimed some veins lying in certain directions were
richer.
4.0 EXPLORATION: THE MINING OF VEINS
• A miner before he begins to mine the veins would consider
seven things, namely: the situation, the conditions, the water,
the roads, the climate, the right ownership, the neighbours.
• There are four kinds of situations – Mountain, hill valley and
plain. Of the four the first two are the most easily mined
because in them tunnels can be driven to drain off water.
• The last two kinds were more troublesome because tunnels
could not be driven in such places.
• There are many differences in hills and mountains, some
being situated in even and level plains, while others are found
in broken and elevated regions. However, the miner would not
dig unless those situated in mountainous districts.
• There are likewise many varieties of valleys and plains. There
are three types of valleys but the miner would not dig in those
surrounded on all sides by mountains.
• Another type of valleys and plains that would not be
dug were those that are open, unless there was a low
plain close at hand or unless vein of metal descending
from the mountains should extend into the valley.
• The miner would consider locality and whether the road
from neighbouring regions are good or bad, short or
long
• The miner would make careful thorough investigation
concerning the lord of the locality whether he be just or
tyrant for the latter oppresses men by force of his
authority.
• The miner would also try to obtain a mine in a location
suitable for the various activities of a mine.
5.0 EXTRACTION: THE DIGGING OF ORE

• When a miner found a suitable vein, he begun sinking a

shaft and above it set up a windlass and built over the
shaft to prevent rain from falling in.
• A shaft was dug for the purpose of connecting with a
tunnel which had already been driven into a hill. A shaft
may be sunk through the shaft.
• A tunnel is a subterranean ditch driven lengthwise and is
high enough for workmen to pass and carry their loads.
• A shaft would be made vertical or inclined according as
the vein which the miners follow in the course of digging.
• Stringers and cross veins would be explored with cross
tunnels or shafts when they occur.
• Various minerals and colours of earth could be used to
give of the presence of metal ores.
• Some of the indications of prosperous veins were
underground pools or limestone that would detect
silver.
• The actual mine work would vary with the hardness of
the rock, the softest was worked with a pick and
required shoring with wood, the hardest was usually
broken with fire. Iron wedges, hammers and cow bars
are used to break other rocks.
• If the vein is soft, the rock of the footwalls is weak thus
a closer structure was necessary.
Wall lining structure implemented in soft veins
7.0 MINER’S TOOLS AND MACHINES

• Hand tools and different sorts of buckets, wheelbarrows

and trucks on wooded plankways were used.
• Packs of horses and sledges were used to carry loads
above ground.
• Various kinds of machines for lifting weights were also
used. Some being man powered and some powered by
up to four horses or waterwheels.
• Horizontal drive shafts along tunnels would allow lifting in
shafts not directly connected to the surface. Apart from
this, treadmills will be installed underground.
• Ladders and lifts using wicker cages were used to get
miners up and down shafts.
• Water pipes, wind scoop for ventilating shafts or forced
air using fans or bellows were also employed.
HORSE SLEDGE AND MINE CART USED FOR
TRANSPORTATION
 8.0 MINERAL ASSAYING AND SMELTING
• The crucibles, scorifiers and muffle furnaces were in the
assaying of ore used.
• The preperation of ore was wrapped in paper, placed on
a scoffier and then placed under a muffle covered in
burning charcol in the furnace.
• Alternatively the ore was placed in a triangular crucible
and then had lead mixed with it when it was added to the
cupel.
• Smelting furnaces were constructed of brick or soft stone
with a brick front and mechanically driven bellows and
the rear.
• The furnace was filled with beneficiated ore and crushed
charcoal and then lit.
9.0 CONCLUSION

Georgius Agricola’s De re Metallica is the foundation of all

mining technical work. It provided the beginning of our
present-day mining theory. His detailed explanations and
illustrations were crucial because they allowed every miner
to be able to draft the best mining ideas and most advanced
mining tools and machines of their time.
10.0 REFERENCES
• Georgius Agricola. (1950). De re Metallica. New York:
Dover Publications, Inc.
• https://geology201georgiusagricola.weebly.com/de-re-m
etallica-summary.html
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_re_metallica