IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 f IIM IIM '^' IM 12.2 36 !2.0 Hill— iA 11 1.6 VQ <^ /a "c-1 e: ^# ■ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, it est film6 d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. rrata :o pelure, 1 d □ 32X I 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 iStri , •> !<•. • •: > -I jCff-^ ^C ^ _y^ X , ,^ , / vy (Jhe Imprtancc of piniuig Sei'onlH. A LETTER ■BO r. S, iMILTON, Esq., CHIEF COMMISSIONEU OF MINES. BY JOHN RUTHERFORD, M.E., lNi«l'FCIOi; lil MINKS MEMr.KU OF THE NOJail OF ENGLAND INSJllLTE OF MINING KNGINEEIiS. HALIFAX, N. S. PllINTEI) BY A. GRANT, TKINTEK TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJKSTV %, 18 67. r ihi; Jmjortsiice of Pintnj Scards. A LETTER TO P. S. HAMILTON, Esq., CHIEF C03IMISSI0NER OF MINES. BY JOHN RUTHERFORD, M. E., INSPECTOR OF MINES, MEMBER OF THE NORTH OF FJ^GLAND INSTITUTE OF MINING ENGINEERS, HALIFAX, N. S. PRINTED BY A. GRANT, PRINTKR TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJE8TT. 1867. v^ THE IMPORTANCE OF MINING RECORDS, HALIFAX, March 20, 1867. Sir, — In my report on the mining opcr vtions in tlie Province last year, I mentioned that at some of the collieries no record existed, either hy survey or written description, of the first workings, and I alluded to the importance of a knowledge of their true position, and regretted the absence of some system by which such neglect on the part of the managers of mines might have been avoided. I now desire to address you on the value of mining records, and to make a few suggestions as to the best means of realizing so important an acquisition of mining knowledge. The developement of the mineral resources of the Province has of late assumed so im- portant an aspect, and mining operations are in consequence receiving such general attention, that the means by which a truth- ful and intelligible record of these operations may be preserved, cannot fail to be of great interest and value. Success is not the general result of mining adventures, indeed it is unfortunately too often the exception ; nor is the want of it always attributable to the physical peculiarities of the mineral itself, but may 1-appen from a deficiency of knowledge or error in judgment of the exploiter. The rapid accumulation of wealth by the fortunate few invariably in- duces a rush of the many to the source whence it has been derived, and the first serious reverse often unnecessarily damps the ardour of the speculator ; disgust takes the place of enthusiasm, and in- stead of being steadily worked in a skillful and judicious manner, the mine is closed, and mayhap remains unproductive for years. In the course of time the exhaustion of some beds or veins, or an increased consumption of their produce, induces the re-opening of the abandoned mines. How valuable then becomes the knowledge of former operations, and with what confidence every step is taken, nothing left to chance ; but guided by thoso records which have 4 been so wisely and carefully preserved, the workings are not only made with safety, l)ut also with a probability of success which they would nut otherwise have. On the other hand, without such records, capital is uselessly e.\penngin;: to the; fJencral Mininj;f AsHoeiiition, the workings are at present of limited extent, both in the eoal mid frohl mines; and there is, llicreforo, less dillieulty in having them liiilhl'ully hvid down. Their position tlien is such as makes the primsiry oliject — a correct jjhui of the workings — easy of accomplishment. Whilst insisting on accuracy in this respect' I do not deem it necessary to |)reseril)e any particular modm opernmli so far as the survey is concornc(l. Assuming the survey to be coi'rectly made, it is desirable that all plans should Itc sf) drawn that any one who has ^c^w a mining })lan may at once recognize the peculiarities of o'vh mine. This can only be accom- plished by the ado])tion of 'in; imiiy of detail. A similarity of scale and conventional sign;! is the chief means to this end. When dislocations of strata arc • presor.ted o> ome plans )iy a simple faint line, on others by lines of di'Tercut colors, and witho\it regard to dilTcrencc rf si/o of throw,- -pnh rips wanting even that informa- tion, which should invariably be given, — and there is a similar irregu- lar method of indicating the maiii roads and water levels, it will readily bo imagined that some cijnfusion nuist creep into any attcmi)t to generalize from such j)]ans the peculiar f(.;iturcs of any particular coal field. That such a generalization is an important aid in selecting fresh openings for mining operations must, I think, be evident. Again, how important it is that any alteration in the scams or veins should be distiiictly noted ; they may in some dis- tricts of a mine become thicker or thiinier, or be so divided by the gradual thickening of a band of stone in sonic part of the seam that only a portion can be worked, or in the case of a seam of moderate size both upper and lower division Ije too thin for profit- able working. Nor is it unusual for one seam to be so separated as to form two and even three distinct seams several fectapa.t in another locality at no great distance from that in which the bands first appear. The difficulty of identincation, it must be admitted, will be very much lessened by carefully noting and recording tha change in each mine situated between the localities; and the value of a proof of this kind in sinking to other seams will. I think, be also apparent. Then, with respect to unilbrmity of scale : if to the discrepancies in delineating the peculiarities of the mine be added a variety of scales — some being 30 feet, some 40 feet, and others 66 feet to an inch — the difficulty of comparison, and, what is more important still, the liability to error, is very considerably increased. 8 Suppose, for instance, that the workings of a mine are approaching old ones which arc probably full of water, and that the only record of their position is some rough plan on a different scale to that generally adopted, I do not assert that under such circumstances, with great care in taking the necessary measurements, a junction of the workings cannot be safely made, but that the risk of error in measurement is increased by the difference between the regular use of one scale and the occasional use only of the other. In addition to the uniformity of scale and conventional signs, such alterations of the seams or veins, as I have alluded to, should be briefly described on the plan or on a book provided for that pur- pose, and in the case of abandonment of any mine, the fullest par- ticulars should be obtained and recorded before it is closed. Having thus endeavored to show the practical importance of mining records, I will now briefly point out how the intelligent manager of mines may contribute to our geological knowledge. "■ Geology," it is remarked by Professor Phillips, " whether regarded as a history of the early physical revolutions of the earth, or as the i'cienco by which this history has been in some degree recovered, has really no other foundation than exact observation and careful induction." Whilst tiiose conditions of the mind necessary to a proper exer- cise of the latter process may not be generally possessed, there are few who have it not in their power to hicrease the basis of facts on which the superstructure is by such process to be reared. The identification of seams by a comparison of the over and under- lying strata, the tracing of faults from one mine into another or through a district, the observance of the alterations of level, or dip and rise of seams, the structural character of the coal, the pecu- liarities of mineral veins, and of other circumstances worthy of note, may, in addition to their practical importance, materially assist in arriving at correct conclusions on many points respecting which there is still much indefini cncss. In coal of a bituminous 'character there is generally a peculiar cleavage or facing, the distinctness or irregularity of which aids or impedes the working of it. According to the character of this cleavage the coal is broken off with greater or less ease, and its size when prepared for the market varies. In a practical point of view attention on the part of the managers cannot be too carefully given to this peculiarity, as it is found that in some cases larger pieces of 9 coal are produced by driving the working places at right angles to this lino of cleavage and in others by working in the contrary direction. The course of these planes in different seams should be compared with respect to their similarity or difference. The strata of the coal measures also exhibit particular lines of fracture by which they are, as it were, divided into blocks. Careful observation of the direction in which these cleavages run, in conjunction with equally well noted particulars of the course, size, and direction of throw of dykes, may aid in determining tlio character of the move- ments by which these ruptures arc supposed to have been effected. The composition and thickness of each bed of the strata should also be noted and measured, and especially should these be ob- served when shafts are sunk. An accurate section should be taken of the strata passed through in each pit, and that of the deepest on the colliery should be laid down on the plan. Fossils, too, should receive attention, as thoir presence in parti- cular strata has been found in some districts an invariable guide to the proximity of a seam of coal. The quality of the water, and tlie circumstances under which it appears in the mine, deserve attention for the indications it may give of the existence of parti- cular minerals through which it has passed. Another subject worthy of observation is the internal temperature of mines. With the exception of those belonging to the General Mining Association, none of the collieries in the Province are sufficiently extensive to show much variation from the external temperatux'c ; but it is on this account a fitting time to commence such observations. As the workings spread to a greater length and depth, a record of the change in temperature will not be found uninteresting, and the time may come when such records may be of scientific value. What I have already said respecting the accuracy and details of plans will, I think, render sufficiently evident their value as an aid to the knowledge of the peculiarities' of any district. Sufficient, I hope, has now also been advanced in support of the object of this letter. There is so intimate a relationship between the aid to science furnished by such observations as I have suggested, and their practical value, that 1 am confident that uo manager who desires to perform his duty efficiently will neglect to make them. To bring the preceding remarks to a practical issue it remains to suggest a form of conventional signs for adoption, the scale on which the workings may be plotted, and to make a few observations I n II 10 By conventional sign< is m„, . "-presenting fa„„s „„'; ;ther cH„erf^'"T"' '^""^''-'^^d mode of eng,„e planes, ,ate. le.eM,, '^Ts ^-tK *' ^'™"'' ''"'■- -«<> "ave been removed and soift f„ / '"' ""»«« "' whicli nillarJ "^d not enumerate. Tl!e tin ?'' "'"^ "'''or details Xbl reference to the sketch o " 'iT' "'^"^'^ -■der.to d „, by any description of them, wZZ T "'""'''"'^ "> ""' than plans should be constructed «f T'* *» ""= ^^ale on which the Assocation is a ve^ suit^b e'o e vL " 'l '"" ''"'""' ^"^ ^ he t„ T'' ""' "'^ *" bo preferred as itl T '"'''' ''"' '"» "'stinet to admit of a nieenp«= „f . f"' "^ it is not only sufficiently -jation of a large o.teroTw: *t:""' ""* '"''' ^^ «'" P - o..ly one worked. In the et of «?»:?''' 7 "'™*^" " ~^ ^an, or be kept in a book o a uS '"'''' '" "^ ""-'-t.iiM.lXiml-, A>