Mining in World History (Reaktion Books - Globalities) [Paperback]

Martin Lynch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 3, 2004 | ISBN-10: 1861891733 | ISBN-13: 978-1861891730

This book deals with the history of mining and smelting from the Renaissance to the present. Martin Lynch opens with the invention, sometime before 1453, of a revolutionary technique for separating silver from copper. It was this invention which brought back to life the rich copper-silver mines of central Europe, in the process making brass cannon and silver coin available to the ambitious Habsburg emperors, thereby underpinning their quest for European domination. Lynch also discusses the Industrial Revolution and the far-reaching changes to mining and smelting brought about by the steam engine; the era of the gold rushes; the massive mineral developments and technological leaps forward which took place in the USA and South Africa at the end of the 19th century; and, finally, the spread of mass metal-production techniques amid the violent struggles of the 20th century. In an engaging, concise and fast-paced text, he presents the interplay of personalities, politics and technology that have shaped the metallurgical industries over the last 500 years.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'This is quite simply the best history ever published on the role of mining in shaping world events. It performs the huge task of making sense of a complex range of industries that took many forms and produced many products, over centuries of change and development across every continent on earth. It does so in just 350 pages of succinct but comprehensive prose, remarkably free of errors of both fact and judgment ...Martin Lynch has managed to present the big picture of mining.' -Historic Environment 'This is quite simply the best history ever published on the role of mining in shaping world events. It performs the huge task of making sense of a complex range of industries that took many forms and produced many products, over centuries of change and development across every continent on earth. It does so in just 350 pages of succinct but comprehensive prose, remarkably free of errors of both fact and judgment ... Martin Lynch has managed to present the big picture of mining.' - Historic Environment 'A very profound book about a very profound subject. It can, and will, be used as a reference work, yet it is a splendid story well told. The reader with an interest in history, politics, and economics will find the book rewarding indeed ... The reader with a background in mining history will find the book a joy from beginning to end. The book builds momentum, the farther along the reader progresses, the more exciting the narrative becomes.' - Anthracite History Journal

About the Author

Martin Lynch works for the Iron Ore Company of Canada in Labrador.

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Reaktion Books (October 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1861891733
• ISBN-13: 978-1861891730
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #421,993 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, August 1, 2010

By 

Paul McEwan "universe43" (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mining in World History (Reaktion Books - Globalities) (Paperback)

This is one of the best books I have ever read. It should be made into a documentary.

The book is more than about who discovered gold or some other mineral here or there but about the evolution of mining and refining techniques, the evolution of finance and banking and the evolution of the industries and empires and people that use the metals and how all the players have changed each other as they evolved. It's about the larger than life personalities, the historically neglected, the cheated, the lucky and unlucky. The book is so broad in its sweep through history yet so subtle and acute and personal. The countries that are or have been major players on the world stage are duly documented and on occasion countries not recognized historically as major players in mining have a bright flash of light cast upon them by a single sentence or paragraph describing almost world domination for decades in the production of particular metals or mining of certain ores.

You come away from this book feeling you can understand where we came from and what drives our society and has driven our society for hundreds of years. Here in Australia a financial journalist recently said that the fortunes of the Australian share market is defined by our biggest bank and our biggest mining company. I can now see why. These two industries, mining and finance, underpin all industrial societies of all political persuasions around the globe, and have a vast impact on societies not dependent on manufactured goods when minerals are discovered on their soil.

The book is not judgemental or political in any way and is not an advertisement for mining, doesn't gloss over, doesn't exaggerate, and doesn't bore with dry detail. I found the book entertaining and extremely well written and researched... not that I knew anything much about mining in world history before reading this book. There are some maps provided in the book but a good atlas or globe may come in handy to locate some of the locations mentioned that aren't mapped as I find seeing on a map where something is or something happened makes it somewhat more fulfilling. The only trouble is having to interrupt you reading to look up the location!

Not all mining has been covered such as the scarcer or obscure metals or minerals or the more recent but vast impact of the oil industry... considering oil reserves were the prizes at stake in two world wars... but I think the oversight of the oil industry was probably deliberate as oil in world history would be another book in itself... you get the feeling the author would be able to write another 20 or 30 volumes... I'd certainly have a go at reading them if he wrote them!