Mining in World History

This is the first book to offer a sweeping history of mining from the Renaissance to the present. Martin Lynch discusses the invention of techniques for separating silver from copper in the 15th century, the Industrial Revolution, the era of the gold rushes, the technological leaps forward in the U.S. and South Africa at the end of the 19th century, and the spread of mass metal-production techniques amid the violent struggles of the 20th century. In an engaging and fast-paced text, he presents the personalities, politics, and technology that have shaped the metallurgical industries over the last 500 years. Martin Lynch has been employed in the mining industry for more than 10 years, and is currently working for the Iron Ore Company in Labrador, Canada.