minimum

[Lat.] The smallest amount or degree; the least a ignable quantity in a given case; opposed to maximum (q. v.). minimum-thermometer, s . A thermometer constructed to register the lowest point reached between observations. [THERMOMETER.] *min-i-mus, s. [Lat. least.] A being of the smallest size; anything very small. "Get you gone, you dwarf, You minimus, of hind'ring knot-gra made." Shakesp.: Midsummer Night's Dream , iii. 2. min-Ing, *myn-ynge, pr.par ., a . & 8. [MINE, v.] A. As pr . par .: (See the verb.) B. As adjective: I. Literally: 1. Burrowing in the earth; forming mines. 2. Used in the construction of mines; used by miners; as, mining tools. 3. Occupied in the construction and carrying on of mines; as, a mining company. 4. Full of mines; as, a mining district. mining now may din at only a low angle, are more easily reached than metallic lodes occurring in veins and fi ures which, as a rule, descend at a high angle, or even vertically to the interior of the earth. [VEIN.] In both cases a shaft or shafts must be sunk, the roof, when undermined supported, and galleries run to reach or follow the course of the vein or seam. 3. Mining Vocabulary : A glo ary of terms used in mining: Adit-A level, a horizontal drift or pa age from the surface into a mine. Adverse-To oppose the granting of a patent to a mining claim. Air shaft-A shaft for ventilation. Alloy-A combination of two or more metals fused IMG:content-1228.png:[blocks in formation] Attrition-Wearing away by friction. Auriferons-Containing gold. Barren-Without mineral. Base-bullion-Lead combined with other metals after smelting, cast in an ingot. Battery-Generally applied to a set of five stamps. Bed-A horizontal seam or deposit of ore. Bed-rock-Solid rock underlying alluvial and other surface formations. Bells-Signals used in hoisting and lowering in a mine. Black-jack-Zinc blend. Blankets-Blankets, carpets and other fibrous material used for catching precious mineral in a wet proce . Blast-Rending rock by explosives. Blind lode-A vein without an outcrop. Blo om-rock-Detached rock or ore indicating the IMG:content-1229.png:[blocks in formation] Cap-rock-The rock overlying the ore or vein. Carbonates-Ores containing a considerable proportion *II. Fig.: Working by underhand or secret means; of carbonate of lead, often rich in silver. insidious. IMG:content-1230.png:[blocks in formation] 1. Hist .: Dr. Birch places the discovery by the Egyptians of a mine of "mafka" (turquoise?) at Wady Magara, in the Peninsula of Sinai, in the fourth Memphite dynasty, between 3,000 and 2,000 B. C. Tubal Cain was an instructor of every artificer in bra (copper) and iron. It was said of Canaan, "out of whose hills thou mayest dig bra " (copper) (Deut. viii. 9), and Job refers to mining and metallurgy (xxviii. 1, 2, .). Hero dot us says that the Phœnicians had quite bored through a mountain in the Island of Thasos (vi. 46, 47). As early as the fourth century B. C. the silver mines of Laurium, in Attica, were worked by the A then i ans. The Romans, when they held Spain, worked the quicksilver mines of Almaden. The Phoenicians of Gades (Cadiz), according to Strabo, traded with the Cas site rides (Scilly Islands) for tin and lead. During the Roman occupation of Britain, mining was carried on; it afterward declined, and, when revived, it was chiefly in the hands of the Jews. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, German miners were encouraged to settle in Britain, but soon native skill and industry rendered foreign aid unnece ary. About 1620, blasting rock by gunpowder commenced; in the next century the steam engine was introduced, and in 1815 there followed, for coal mines, the Davy lamp. Cheek The side wall of a vein. Chimney-The richer parts in lodes as distinguished from poorer ones. Chlorides-A common term applied to ores containing chloride of silver. Chute-A body of ore, usually of elongated form, extending downward within a vein; a slide for ore or waste rock. Claim-Space of ground located and worked under the law. IMG:content-1231.png:[blocks in formation] IMG:content-1232.png:[blocks in formation] 2. Art & Operations : Mining is prosecuted with the view of obtaining metallic ores for smelting, or other mineral deposits-as coal, rock-salt, diamonds, or other precious stones. Sometimes these are found on the surface, especially where cliffs are exposed; diamonds, gold-dust, ., are sometimes obtainable from gravels overlying the more solid rocks, but, as a rule, mining operations cannot be prosecuted succe fully except by sinking shafts and carrying on subterranean operations. Coal Exploitation-The working of a mine; the amount of seams, which were originally horizontal, and even work done. Dyke-A wall-like ma of mineral foreign to the gen eral formation. IMG:content-1233.png:[blocks in formation] Flume-A pipe or trough to convey water. Flux-Substance used to promote the fusion of ores. Foot-wall-Layer of rock beneath the vein. Formation-A term applied to the country-rock traversed by veins. Free gold-Gold uncombined with other substances. Free milling-Ores containing mineral that will separate from the gangue by simple methods. Gad-A small, pointed wedge. Galena-Lead ore; sulphur and lead. Gangue-The substance surrounding and a ociated with the ore. Gash vein-A vein wide at the top and closing at a short depth. Gnei -Metamorphic rock resembling granite. Gouge-A clay streak found next to a fi ure-vein. Granitic-Pertaining to granite. Grizzly-A grating used to sort ore according to size. Hanging wall-The layer of rock, or wall, over a lode. Heading-Same as breast; a vein of ore above the drift. Hitch-A hole cut in the wall to hold timbers. Horn-An ox or buffalo horn halved and used as a pan; see pan. Horse-A body of rock of same character as the wall rock, occurring in the course of the vein. Hydraulicking--Washing down a bank of earth or gravel with pipes conveying water under great pre ure. Incline drift-An inclined pa age-way under ground. Ingot-A ma of gold or silver cast in a mold. In place-A vein, or ore, in its original position. Jig-A machine for concentrating ore by means of water. IMG:content-1234.png:[blocks in formation] Pay-streak-The richest streak in the vein. Pinch-Contraction of the vein. Pitch-The slope or dip of a vein. Placer-A deposit of gold or other mineral found in particles in alluvium or diluvium. Platt-An enlargement of a level near the shaft, where ore may await hoisting. Pocket-A rich spot in a vein or deposit. Prospecting-Searching for mineral veins. Pulp Finely pulverized ore. Pyrites-Ores containing pyrites. Quartz-Crystalline silica. Quartz bucket-A bucket for hoisting ore or quartz. Quartz mining-Any hard gold or silver ore as distinguished from gravel or earth. Refining-The purification of crude metallic products, Refractory-Resisting the action of heat and chemical Reserves-Mineral standing in mines between shafts and levels that will pay to extract. re-agents. Retort-Amalgam after distillation; gold combined with other metals. Riffles-Cro blocks in a sluice-box to catch the gold. Rocker-Small trough with an oscillating motion used in placer mining. Royalty The per centage paid by le ees on the ore ex tracted. IMG:content-1235.png:[blocks in formation] terial. Sluices-Troughs in which ore is washed. Smelting-Reduction of ore in furnaces. Spar-Usually applied to the different lime formations. Spit-To light a fuse. Spreader-Timber stretched acro a shaft or stope. Spur-A branch of a vein. Square-sets-A kind of timbering used in large spaces, Stamps-Weights for crushing ores. stamps. Station-Stopping places in shafts; places cut out for pumps, . Stope-The part of a vein above or below the drift from which the ore has been removed. Stoping-Excavating the ore from the root or floor of a drift. IMG:content-1236.png:[blocks in formation] Tributer-A miner working as a le ee. Triturate-To grind or pulverize. Tunnel-A level driven acro a vein. Upraise-A shaft or winze excavated upward. Valve-bucket-Bucket with valve in bottom for hoisting water. Vein-Same as ledge. Walls-The sides next to the lode or mineral matter. Whim-A machine used for raising ore or refuse. Whip-Apparatus for hoisting ore from a shaft. Winze-An interior shaft sunk from one level to an- other. Zinc-blende-Combination of zinc and sulphur, often accompanied by other metals. The following terms are defined in accordance with the laws of Canada, and are applicable to the Klondike gold region: Bar diggings-Any mine over which a river extends when in the flooded state. Bench diggings-Any mine on a bench. Creek diggings-Any mine in the bed of a river, stream or ravine, excepting bar diggings. Ditch-A flume, pipe, race or other artificial means for conducting water by its own weight, to be used for mining purposes. Ditch head-The point in a natural water course or lake where water is first taken into a ditch. Dry diggings-Any mine on the surface of a hill and fronting on any natural stream or ravine. Free miner-A person, or joint stock company, or foreign company named in and lawfully po e ed of a valid existing free miner's certificate. Full interest-Any placer claim of the full size or one of several shares into which a mine may be equally divided.