This book deals with the history of mining and smelting from the Renaissance to the present. Martin Lynch opens with the invention, sometime before 1453, of a revolutionary technique for separating silver from copper. It was this invention which brought back to life the rich copper-silver mines of central Europe, in the process making brass cannon and silver coin available to the ambitious Habsburg emperors, thereby underpinning their quest for European domination. Lynch also discusses the Industrial Revolution and the far-reaching changes to mining and smelting brought about by the steam engine; the era of the gold rushes; the massive mineral developments and technological leaps forward which took place in the USA and South Africa at the end of the 19th century; and, finally, the spread of mass metal-production techniques amid the violent struggles of the 20th century. In an engaging, concise and fast-paced text, he presents the interplay of personalities, politics and technology that have shaped the metallurgical industries over the last 500 years.

Winner of the 1981 Wadsworth Prize for Business History, this work features a study of the Rio Tinto Company. An addition to the sparse empirical literature on international business, it also describes aspects of modern Spanish history.

THE INDUSTRY THAT FORGED THE MODERN WORLD Throughout history metals and raw materials have underpinned human activity. So it is that the industry responsible for extracting these materials from the ground - mining - has been ever present throughout the history of civilisation, from the ancient world of the Egyptians and Romans, to the industrial revolution and the British Empire, and through to the present day, with mining firms well represented on the world's most important stock indexes including the FTSE100. This book traces the history of mining from those early moments when man first started using tools to the present day where metals continue to underpin economic activity in the post industrial age. In doing so, the history of mining methods, important events, technological developments, the important firms and the sparkling personalities that built the industry are examined in detail. At every stage, as the history of mining is traced from 40,000BC to the present day, the level of detail increases in accordance with the greater social and industrial developments that have played out as time has progressed. This means that a particular focus is given to the period since the industrial revolution and especially the 20th century. A look is also taken into the future in an effort to chart the direction this great industry might take in years to come. Many books have been written about mining; the majority have focused on a particular metal, geographical area, mining event or mining personality, but 'The History of Mining' has a broader scope and covers all of these essential and fascinating areas in one definitive volume.

Foreword / Stefan Berger and Peter Alexander -- Mining history : sub-fields and agendas / Stefan Berger -- Archaeology of mining in the pre-industrial age : the recognition and interpretation of ancient mines / Simon Timberlake -- Engineering changes : the cause and consequence of modern mining methods at Butte, Montana; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Broken Hill, New South Wales / Jeremy Mouat -- A comparative account of deep-level gold mining in India and South Africa : implications for workers' lives / Dunbar Moodie -- Local moments in mining history : some ideas on the relationship between foreign and native in Mexican silver mining / Alma Parra -- Coal-mining, migration, and ethnicity : a global history / Ad Knotter -- Culture and classed identity in shaping unionisation on mines / Peter Alexander.

In this truly unique celebration of mining, breathtaking aerial photographs by award-winning photographers Jim Wark and Richard Woldendorp accompany ground-level pictures of mines, mine-side oddities, and mine communities. Informed but breezy narratives by mining experts John Trudinger and Karlheinz Spitz identify and explain the images. The World of Mining shows that mining and associated activities can be impressive, attractive, and even spectacular. The book illustrates most if not all aspects of mining and mineral processing, in all its varieties, and from different environments throughout the world. It illustrates the colourful history of mining and its importance to the development of civilisation as we know it. It depicts the wide range of activities in modern mining, from exploration to mine closure, as well as traditional mining by skilled practitioners, using methods adapted to local conditions. A visual feast for anyone interested, with and without a background in the earth sciences or photography. Recommended as well as a primary and secondary school information source on the subject. "...a highly credible and lavishly produced volume..." -- Australian Journal of Mining, November 2011 Check out the author's portal for unbiased and accurate information about mining, its effects on the environment, and the attendant social costs and benefits.

"Over the past five hundred years, North Americans have increasingly turned to mining to produce many of their basic social and cultural objects. From cell phones to cars and roadways, metal pots to wall tile and even talcum powder, minerals products have become central to modern North American life. As this process has unfolded, mining has also indelibly shaped the natural world and North Americans' relationship with it. Mountains have been honeycombed, rivers poisoned, and forests leveled. The effects of these environmental transformations have fallen unevenly across North American societies. Mining North America examines these developments. Drawing on the work of scholars from Mexico, the United States, and Canada, this book explores how mining has shaped North America over the last half millennium. It covers an array of minerals and geographies while seeking to draw mining into the core debates that animate North American environmental history generally. Taken together, the authors' contributions make a powerful case for the centrality of mining in forging North American environments and societies"--Provided by publisher.