This is topic Sources about primitive mining and tool making in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=058961

---

Posted by Szymon (Member # 7103) on :
 
I've always wondered how did it all start. I sometimes pictured myself going back in time, with absolutely nothing with me. My new civilization always stops abruptly when I need metal. I am in a forest in Europe or Northern America. How the hell do I find it? Could I take just a piece of sparkling stone and try to smelt it (provided I could make fire...), hoping that there's at least a small amount of copper or sth? Do I look for a certain rock or stone or whatever?
Do you know any Internet sources where I can find knowledge of this kind?
 

---

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 
Have you read Guns, Germs, and Steel?
 

---

Posted by Mucus (Member # 9735) on :
 
You can probably just order it from Amazon
 

---

Posted by C3PO the Dragon Slayer (Member # 10416) on :
 
On the first night, it's a good idea to barricade yourself in a cliff face and tunnel your way down with stone picks, until you come across a cave or bedrock (if you hit bedrock, go about 8-10 meters back up to avoid lava). Don't forget torches; if you don't have any coal, make charcoal by putting wood (I'm assuming you've spent a good chunk of the day felling trees with your bare hands)in a furnace, which you can cobble together out of the stone you're excavating. You'll eventually find iron. You can't miss it; its grayish-brownish streaks stand out from the stone around it. When you find it, just mine it with your stone picks and toss it in the furnace. Voila! Iron. All you need is a simple crafting table to assemble any variety of tools you might need.

Of course, the true mark of an advanced civilization is diamond technology. To get diamonds, you should mine about 8 meters above bedrock and be extra careful not to run into lava. If you're so inclined, you'll also find a reddish ore that can be used in electronic circuits (though the circuits they do make are bulky and unwieldy compared to modern technology). You'll need an iron pickaxe to obtain these ores. You could probably use a pickaxe made of solid gold, too, but that's just stupid.
 

---

Posted by Szymon (Member # 7103) on :
 
You get me wrong C3PO, truly.

Guns, Germs and steel? I'll check it out, thanks, But does it really describe the most basic processes and prospecting? Thanks anyways!

edited, got the title wrong, thought it was "gems"

[ May 22, 2012, 07:59 AM: Message edited by: Szymon ]
 

---

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Szymon:
But does it really describe the most basic processes and prospecting?

---