![]() ![]() For example, Shen pointed out that bluestone (chalcanthite) contains water and can be refined into copper, and he predicted that the oil (petroleum) derived from rocks would be widely used in the future. In a famous work called Chat by Dream Creek, mineral prospecting, mining activities and mineral utilization during Shen Kuo’s time are discussed. The astronomer and scientist Shen Kuo (1031-1095) of the Song Dynasty made considerable studies of minerals and rocks. Portrait taken from a 1962 postage stamp. Mineral prospecting, mining activities and mineral utilization are discussed in his famous work Chat by Dream Creek. Astronomer and scientist Shen Kuo (1031–1095) of the Song Dynasty. Next to the old workings, a large open-pit mine for copper is still in operation today, providing beautiful specimens of calcite, malachite and azurite crystals. It worked the oxidized zone of a high-grade copper deposit: the total length of the ancient trenches and shafts is estimated at 8,000 meters. Botanical indicators of mineral deposits are recorded in the work for example: “in a place, one to one and a half kilometers from a hill named Huang Shan, where many Huitong plants grow, gold ore can be found below.”Īt this time, the Tonglushan mine at Daye in Hubei Province, one of the world’s oldest copper mines, was established. Mountains and Seas also mentions the use of well developed mining techniques, although it does not imply an inherited culture of mining per se. Indicator species (those minerals that commonly occur near gold or iron ore deposits) are also discussed. The writer discusses physical properties such as hardness, color, luster, transparency and texture, and notes that magnetism and medical properties can be used to identify mineral species and rock types. In this book, 89 kinds of minerals and rocks from 309 localities are described. Great progress was made in mineral identification and mineral utilization during the Zhou Dynasty, as shown by the book Mountains and Seas (Shan Hai Jing, 3rd to 1st century B.C.). Verdigris, active from the 11th century B.C. Excavated ruins of the Tonglushan copper mine, Mt. Nephrite and serpentine jewelry have also been unearthed in sites dating to Xia and Shang Dynasty times. There is little doubt that ancient China excelled in metalworking. For example, the Simuwu Ding (a sacrificial vessel) found in the Yin ruins contains 84.77% copper, 11.64% tin and 2.79% lead, which is very close to the composition of the bronze alloy having the highest hardness known to the modern metallurgical industry. In the Yin ruins at Anyang, Henan Province, a major archaeological site of the Xia and Shang Dynasties, gold, copper, tin and lead tools and containers have been found. Xia and Shang Dynasties (21 st to 11 th Century B.C.)ĭuring the Xia Dynasty, copper weapons and tools were already in wide use by 2000 B.C. From the Opium War to the present, Chinese mining has been characterized by a combination of Western mining techniques and traditional Chinese methods. The time from 6,000 years ago to the first Opium War (1839–1842) represents the primary stage of Chinese mining development, characterized by simple tools and ancient manual methods. ![]() Generally, Chinese mining history can be divided into two periods. As collectors, we can hope that China will soon excel in recovering and preserving the crystal specimens found in these new mines as well. During the last century, common raw materials mined in China were used mainly for construction and weapons, but we now see China taking the lead in the production of elements and minerals used in modern technologies, such as silicon for semiconductors see also the table of rare earths, below. Today, Chinese minerals are not just collectible treasures, but also huge economic drivers for the rise of China to world-power status. All of these finds indicate that mining activities in China began at least 5,000 years ago. The Daye copper mines in Hubei Province have a history going back 2,800 years and they are still in production (and providing many of our collector specimens today!). In 1973 a 3,000-year-old copper mine with smelting facilities was discovered in Tonglushan on Mount Verdigris in Daye County. The earliest copperware in northern China is also Neolithic, and bronze was widely used during the Shang Dynasty (16th to 11th century B.C.). Their radiometric age is over 6,000 years (Neolithic). Coal carvings have been found in the ruins of the Fushun coalfield, Liaoning Province. The industrious ancient Chinese began prospecting for useful minerals in antiquity, apparently before many other cultures did. Illustration from Exploiting the Works of Nature by Sung Ying-hsing (1587–1663) ![]() Medieval woodcut depicting miners at work. Crystalline Treasures - Mining History | iRocks Blog Part 6 - Mining History, Dr. ![]()
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