How did mining work back in the day? Did people just picaxe long tunnels into the rock hoping they’ll find something useful?
In: Technology
Before modern methods of geology, finding ore in the rock was often a matter of luck. The ore might have shown itself on the exposed surface, or it might wash out and deposit on the surface. If they found a large ore deposit, they could follow the ore veins deep into the rock.
By the way, pickaxes we know today aren’t a typical mining tool, they’re more for breaking heavy dirt and rock on the surface. Instead, they used hammers and chisels in order to be able to get highly precise strikes on the same spot over and over. That’s why you can still see [this logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Schlaegel_und_Eisen_nach_DIN_21800.svg/800px-Schlaegel_und_Eisen_nach_DIN_21800.svg.png) on the coat of arms of many historical mining towns in Europe.
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