Stokes, Ralph S. G. - MINES AND MINERALS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (1908)
Being a description of the historical, physical, & industrial features of the principal centres of mineral production in the British dominions beyond the seas. With illustrations.
This momentous magnum opus about mines and minerals of the British Empire contains 70 b&w photographic illustrations and consists of 36 chapters (South Africa, South Rhodesia, West Africa and the Sudan, Indian Empire, Ceylon, Malay States, Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Yukon Territory; and other British Dependencies - Nigeria, British Central Africa, British East Africa, Uganda Protectorate, British Guiana, British New Guinea, Trinidad, etc.). Extended by appendices "Rand Dividends", "Mining in Natal", ''Discovery of the Klondike'' and others.
With six extensive chapters about South Africa, Transvaal and Southern Rhodesia containing a detailed description of mines, mining methods and mineral production:
- SOUTH AFRICA; Mineral Production in Five States (with sections: To the Zambesi, and Beyond; Industrial expansion; Records of achievement; Copper the first important metal; Little Namaqualand; Two producing companies; Methods of extraction; Natal coal; Orange River Colony; Transvaal's minor fields; Base metals; Abundance of coal; North-Western Rhodesia; Rhodesia Broken Hill; Copper production; Mining progress and financial depression).
- SOUTH AFRICA; Cape Colony, Orange River Colony, and Transvaal Diamonds (with sections: The power of De Beers; Simple tale of discovery; The alluvial diggings; Opening of Kimberley mines; Individual claim owners and suicidal competition; The master minds; Modern Kimberley; Diamond 'pipes'; Origin of blue ground and diamonds; Record hoisting; Mining methods; Weathering of blue ground; Washing and concentration).
- SOUTHERN RHODESIA; Mining Progress in Charterland (with sections: Systems of taxation; Com-mencement of mining development; Geological investigation; Massive ore-bodies; Conglomerate reefs; Classes of deposit; Productive districts; The low-grade wanderer; Globe and Phenix gold mine in Zimbabwe; Giant mines; El Dorado banket; Operating methods and costs; Power supply; Victoria Falls scheme; Transvaal and Rhodesian consumers; Base metals; Precious stones; Gem production at Somabula; Native labour; Pros-pects of industrial expansion).
- TRANSVAAL GOLD; Discovery and Development of the Rand (with sections: Production and prosperity; Pioneer fields; Pilgrim's Rest; De Kaap gold-fields; The salvation of the Republic; Discovery of "banket"; Early difficulties; The Rand's physical features; Geology of the field; Main Reef series; Genetic problems; Distribution of values; Decrease in grade; Augmented scale of operations; Expansion or contraction?; A common aim).
- TRANSVAAL GOLD; Rand Ore Extraction and Treatment (with sections: Technical uniformity; Typical reef sections; Dykes and faults; Diamond-drilling; Costly mine equipments; Record shaft-sinking; The deepest mines; Mining methods; Underground water; Ore-conveying; Metallurgical advancement; Crushing, sorting, and milling; Cyanide process; Fine grinding in tube-mills; The West Australian School of Ideas).
- TRANSVAAL GOLD; Questions of Administration, Labour, and Working Costs (with sections: The troubled times; Technical progress; Head office controls; Government influences; Transvaal Chamber of Mines; Exceptional richness of Central Rand; The great mining groups; Vast producers; Yields and dividends; Reduced working costs; Steam and electrical power; Water supply; Labour: white, black, and yellow; A charge recalled; Chinese and trade; A 'white man's country'; Total labour force and wages; Skilled labourers; Conditions of work; Native labour-supply; The future).
This is an extremely rare copy of this precious work, hard to find even in National and University Libraries - and the only copy selling on internet!
London, Edward Arnold, 1908; First edition; 22,5 x 15,5 cm; Original red cloth; Text in English; Collation complete - Frontispiece, Title page, xx, 403 pages, with 70 b&w photographic illustrations on 42 plates (many plates with two illustrations per page), plus 8 pages of publisher's adverts.; Ex-library copy. Original red cloth recently re-backed in red buckram, the spine ruled and lettered in gilt. New marbled end-papers. Binding is overall in very good condition, with some rubbing and fading to the boards mostly to the extremities, lower corners crushed. Ex-libris stamp to the page edges, upper page edges darkened. Text block/pages in excellent condition, clean and very bright with minor yellowing to the white margins, no foxing or markings throughout. Ex-libris stamp to the title page and little darkening from tissue guard. A well preserved copy.