The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-17 00:00:00

HIE MINERAL TVEALTII OF 771 E

UYIIED KINGDOM.

We are favoured with the sheets of the " Mineral
Statistics" for 1866, which will, in a few days, be
issued from the Mining Record-office in the
Museum of Practical Geology. In the "Notice"
by Sir Rodetick Murchison, the Director-General,
which introduces the labours of Mr. Robert Hunt,
especial attention is drawn to " the continual in-
crease in the production of coal, notwithstanding
the depression which has been felt throughout the
year in many manufactures, and especially in that
of iron." This is really a point worthy of close
attention. The quantity of coals produced in each
of the last four years has been as follows :
Tons. Tons.
1863 ..• 88,D2,515
1861 ... 92,787,873 increase 1;495,358
1865 ... 9A,150,587 „ 5,137,145
1866 101,631),5.13 ~ 3,179,956
We find upon examination that our exportation
of coals in 1866 w;.5 782,631 tons in excess of that
of 1865. We have then. fore to account for two
million and a-half tons, which have been consumed
in this country during a period of extreme manu-
facturing depression, in excess of the consumption
of the previous year. These returns inform us that
there was a falling off in the manufacture of pig
iron to the extent of more than 290,000 tons,
the production of which would have consumed
nearly a million tons of coal. We find, how-
ever, upon examination, that there has been a uni-
formly increased consumption of coals over every
part of the country, and all the returns of " rail-
way distribution " being considerably in excess of
former years. To our steadily increasing popula-
tion, and to the enlarged means of a great majority
of the people, enabling them to enjoy more of the
comforts of life, may be referred this increase in
the consumption of coal, at a period when mann-
!acturing depression would lead us to expect a con-

trary result.
The large quantity of coal raised in 1866 was
obtained from 3,188 collierieg, and the great deve-
lopment of coal mining is shown by this fact that in
1857 there were but 2,815 collieries in active opera-

tion.
IRON.—The quantity of iron ore produced in this
country last year was 9,665,012 tons. This was
smelted in 613 blast furnaces, and of pig iron we
produced :

Tons.
... 2,576,928
... 959,123
... 994,000

In England
In Wales

In Scotland

Total of Great Britain 4,530,051
Of this pig iron we exported 497,138 tons, re-
serving more than four million tons for conversion
into merchant iron. These returns inform us that
there were 256 ironworks in activity in 1866, in
which there were 6,239 puddling furnaces and 826
rolling mills.
The proportions in which the iron ores of this
country were used in our furnaces is given as
follows :
Argillaceous and black band carbonates 42 per cent
Cleveland stone ." ... 28 „
Lancashire and Cumberland red ores ... 15 „
... 13 „
Brown ores
Spathic Carbonates ... 2 „

TlN.—The year 1866, Mr. Robert llunt intimates,
was so disastrously remarkable in connection with
tin and copper mining, that a more than usual close
examination of the condition of the mines of Devon-
shire and Cornwall was considered necessary. The
lists of mines given in the " Appendix to the
Mineral Statistics" show that at the end of 1866
more than 300 mines had been suspended which
had been within the few previous years in full work.
This necessarily threw a large number of miners
out of work, and it appears that more than 7,000
Cornish miners emigrated.
The production of tin ore in 1856 was 15,080
tons, and the mean average price for the year was
£lB 10s. 9d. per ton ; whereas the production of
1865 was 15,686 tons, and the mean average price
of the ore was £55 6s. per ton. The consequence
of this is a depression from which, under favourable
circumstances, it will be long before our western
mining counties can recover. Some important tables
showing the progress of the Dutch tin trade since
1855 are given. From these we learn that the
Island of Banco produced in 1866 158,626 slabs of
tin, and that of
Billiton
33 to 33,000 slabs (1,000 Banco
slabs weighing rom 34 tons).
COPPEIL—There were 174 mines in these islandse
producing and selling copper ore in 1866.
Thes
produced of copper ore 180,378 tons, valued at
£759,118, from which we obtained metallic copper,
11,153 tons, valued at £1,019,168. This shows a
considerable falling off in the produce of copper
mines. During the year there was an increase of
more than 7,000 tons in the copper ore and regulus
imported ; of this Chili alone sent us nearly 56,000
tons.
LEAD AND SILVER.—There has been but little
variation in the production of these metals from
our mines. In 1865 our leadines gave 90,and
452
tons of lead ore, yielding 67,181 tons of lead
724,856 ounces of silver. In 1686 we mined
91,047 tons of lead ore, producing 67,390 tons of
lead and 636,188 ounces of silver. The silver given
in 1865, it is explained, is in excess of the real
quantity obtained, many mines having returned
the silver contained in the ore, which was not
eventually separated by the smelter, since when the
lead contains less than four ounces to the to it
does not pay for separation. The quantity given
this year is the quantity actually produced, as nearly
as this can be ascertained.
GOLD.—Our gold mines in North Vales produced
2,927 tons of auriferous quartz, from which 7430 z.
of gold were obtained.
Of the other metals nothing need be said beyond
the statement contained in the following summary
of the minerals raised and the
metals produced in
he United Kingdom in 1866 :
MINERALS.
Estimated valuo at place
of production.
£25,407,635
3,119,098
731,946
759,118
1,161,228
42,635
77,932

Minerals raised.
Coals ... 101,630,544 tons
Iron Ore 9,665,012 ,7
Tin ... 15,080 „
Copper ... 180,378 „ •.
Lead ... 91,017 „ •••
Zinc ... 12,770 „ •••
Pyrites ... 135,402 „ •••
METALS.
£11,326,127
Iron ... 4,530,051 tons
..
885,368
Tin •.. 9,990 „ •..
Copper ... 11,153 , •.• 1,,01381,500
9,168
Lead ... 67,390 „ •,
... 636,188 ounces ... 174,951
2,656
Silver
old ... 743 „ •• 69,916
•
Zinc ... 3,192 tons ...
G
The total value o mineral productions for the
year 1866 will be, according to Mr. Robert Hunt's
return and estimate :
Metals obtained from the ores raised from
£14,951,695
the mines of the United Kingdom ...
Coals —estimated price at the place of pro-
ion ... • • -• ••• ... 25,407,635
duct
Earthy 31iiierals not including building
6t01108) ... ... •• •

1,350,000

£11,712,330

OWING INTELLIGENCE.—This Day

QUEBEC, Aug. 14

The rdrilViall arrived here to-day.
PLYMOUTH, Aug. 17.

her top

Tho barque Beaumont arrived in the Sound thin morn-
ing, having i❑ tow the brigantine Silver Lake, Captain
Johnson, from Swansea, for St. Thomas, which lost both
,masts in a gala on Thursday.

THE WEATHER IN YORKSIIIRE.—MALTON, Fri-
day.—During last night the heaviest rainfall over regis-
tered here took place, the fall for the whole 2t hours being
1.70 inches. 'The groat fall was between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.
There being no wind the rain came steadily down, and the
crops in consequence are not nearly so much laid as was
anticipated. To-day there is a brisk wind and rising baro-
meter. The crops have dried rapidly, and the laid corn
will mostly be got up little injured early in the week.
THE PUBLIO rAHIC AT lIALIFAX. —Sir F.
Crossley, Bart., who in 1857 presented to his fellow-towns-
men a People's Park, which oost £30,000 (subject only to
the payment of the amount necesary for its maintenance
in good order), has commemorated the tenth anniversary
of the opening by presenting to the town o evade sufficient
a um
of £6,300, the interest of which will pr
funds for payment of the salaries ohf the park-keepheers and
the other expenses, and the park us becomes t unre-
stricted property of the town for ever.