Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

MINING AND QUARRYING

The process of obtaining minerals from the earth’s lithosphere and hydrosphere, including the science, methods, and business of discovery and exploitation. Minerals can be considered a combination of two or more chemicals with distinctive physical properties or molecular structure. Mining usually means the subterranean removal of minerals, but can also include quarrying which is concerned with surface extraction, open-cast work, placer digging, alluvial dredging, and combined operations. Dimensional stone such as sandstone, marble, and granite for building purposes, and a variety of sediments like sand and clay for construction purposes are usually quarried. The mining processes are also related to obtaining useful minerals from below the earth’s surface such as coal. The terms mining and quarrying are often used interchangeably outside of the scientific literature.

Mining is accomplished by using one or more methods of extraction, depending upon the characteristics of the minerals involved. The common methods of extraction are by a tunnel, shaft, and drift, each of which depends on the nature of the mineral deposit. Tunnels are subterranean passageways made horizontally or nearly so, to follow the gallery or level of a mineral seam or other mine workings. Tunnels begin from a shaft which is a vertical passage used for hoisting workers, ores, and supplies, in addition to pumping or ventilating operations. Shaft mining is accomplished by digging a shaft straight down or in a slightly inclined position cutting across mineral deposits. Drift mining tends to follow a seam of mineral ore from its outcrop on the surface and along the inclination of the bed or gallery.

Mining supplies society with its energy, mineral ores, and raw materials. There are many minerals worthy of extraction. Very seldom, however, are minerals found in a pure state. Consequently, the mineral ores which include a fairly large amount of impurities require removal before the minerals can be used. The minerals can be removed in order to improve their quality. Because of this, the process of separating the mined ores from the impurities is required, commonly at the mine site.

When minerals are believed to have economic value they are considered mineral resources. Mineral resources are either economically suitable for mining or held in reserve for extraction at a later time when they have a greater value. Some mining activities exist for hundreds of years, but other mining operations cease when the minerals peter out or become too expensive to mine.

Mines per se in the Holy Land were not located in Palestine proper but were numerous in the Sinai Peninsula, western Palestine, and along the base of the southeastern area of the Ghor. The first mines and quarries apparently began where surficial mineral deposits were discovered. As mining proceeded, tunnels and shafts were dug. Mining and quarrying is a labor-intensive activity demanding a considerable amount of manpower. Long hours of sawing and chipping stone and rock were spent by many workers under extremely enervating working conditions. Injuries and death were commonplace.

Dimension stone for buildings such as limestone was plentiful with quarries located at the site of the settlement or fortress, or very near it. Some fortresses and buildings were built from basalt, which was hard and very difficult to work into blocks as well as rafters. Stone chips for mosaics, commonly more colorful and harder than those from local mines or quarries, were carted many miles. Metallic ores such as gold and copper were mined and smelted even farther away, and precious gemstones were brought by caravans from extremely long distances. Thus, both scarcity and distance added value to the minerals and building stone used in biblical times.

Richard A. Stephenson

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

MINING AND QUARRYING

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)