Mineralogical examination of a copper ore from Caribou Bell Copper Mines Limited, Vancouver, British Columbia

1967 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Owens
Author(s):  
William O'Brien

Copper objects first circulated on the Greek mainland during the fifth millennium BC and shortly after in the islands of the southern Aegean (Zachos 2007). The earliest metalwork of Late Neolithic date comprised small objects such as awls, beads, and bracelets. Metal use gradually expanded during the Chalcolithic stage that followed, with production of larger items such as axeheads. There are parallels with the development of early metallurgy in the Balkans, however there was much less copper in circulation. This may be explained by the absence of early copper mines comparable to Rudna Glava or Ai Bunar in either Greece or the Aegean islands. The use of metal in the Aegean expanded significantly during the third millennium BC, with the emergence of a flourishing culture that had extensive seafaring contacts (Renfrew 1972). The importance of maritime trade in this region dates from the Neolithic when the island of Melos was a major source of obsidian across the east Mediterranean. Lead isotope analysis confirms that the copper, lead, and silver used by the Cycladic culture of the Early Bronze Age came from ore sources on many of those islands (Stos-Gale 1989). These metals were traded widely across the Aegean, with supply also into mainland Greece. While no copper mines have been identified, lead/silver workings of this period are recorded at Lavrion and at Ayios Sostis on Siphnos (Wagner et al. 1980). There are numerous deposits of copper ore and other metals in mainland Greece. No prehistoric copper mines have been identified; however, the potential has been examined by lead isotope analysis. An examination of various ore deposits in northern Greece, including examples in Thrace and eastern Macedonia, Thasos, the Pangeon Mountains, and Chalkidki did not reveal any likely sources of copper in prehistory. Samples were also taken in east-central Greece, from mineralization in the Othrys Mountains where there are several indications of ancient mining. Radiocarbon dates indicate copper mining at various locations there during the first millennium BC (Gale and Stos-Gale 2002: table 3).


1978 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 203-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. N. Černych

As a result of surveys carried out by the Bulgarian-Soviet archaeological expedition, Eneolithic copper mines were discovered in southern Bulgaria in October 1971. The most interesting of these mines, Aibunar, constitutes, without doubt, one of the rarest discoveries in the history of mining not only of Europe, but also of other parts of the Old World. In the same year, Jovanović published news of finds, unique for the Balkan peninsula, of characteristic Vinač pottery found together with a zoomorphic figurine at the Rudna Glava mine in north-eastern Serbia. On the basis of these finds, he suggested an Eneolithic date for the mine. However, the remains of ancient shafts at Rudna Glava were very small, and extensive and historically well-documented mining activities of the Classical Antiquity and the Medieval period made the dating of the extant areas of ancient mining very problematic.In contrast to this, from the moment of its discovery, the large amounts of Eneolithic pottery of Karanovo VI—Gumelnitsa type and antler tools, which were found in the mine at Aibunar, and in particular the well-dated shafts were startling. Interest in Aibunar was further increased by the discovery of seven settlement sites in an area of 15 km around the mine, with Eneolithic layers containing more than 100 pieces of oxidic copper ore. Spectral analysis showed that these pieces of ore came from Aibunar.


1814 ◽  
Vol 104 ◽  
pp. 45-50

The mineral which constitutes the subject of this paper was discovered by Dr. Benjamin Heyne about the year 1800 in the peninsula of Indostan, near the eastern border of the Mysore. From Dr. Heyne's description, it is probable that it occurs in nests in primitive rocks, which seem to be green stone, or at least connected with primitive trap. These rocks appear to be subordinate to mica slate. But I purposely omit all particular details, because I understand Dr. Heyne has himself a work in the press, in which the mineralogy of this country will be particularly described. Copper mines had been wrought in these mountains some centuries ago; but they had been abandoned probably on account of the various revolutions to which this part of India has been subjected. The most common ore which occurs in these mountains is malachite, and it seems to occupy very extensive veins; but the species which I propose to describe here, occurs also in considerable quantity. It had been already made the subject of various experiments, with a view to determine how much copper it contained, but I am not aware that any person had subjected it to a regular chemical analysis, or recognised it as a new species.


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