Britain mines

 LOOLEKOP The story of Palabora Mining Company by Brian Pottinger Jonathan Ball Publishers 1990. H/C with D/J, 154 pages. Gift inscription to ffep. O/A in very good condition. Close to the confluence of the Selati and Olifants River in the Eastern Transvaal bushveld of South Africa lies Phalaborwa - home to one of the world's great copper mines. For hundreds of years local tribesmen had used simple techniques to wrest small quantities of iron and copper from the slopes of the hillock known as Loolekop. Only in the early part of this century did another brood of tough and visionary prospectors come to vaguely comprehend the enormous mineral wealth locked in the subterranean volcanic pipes beneath the koppie. This book traces the establishment, growth and triumph of the Palabora Mining Company at Loolekop. It is an account of hardships, roller-coasting fortunes and unshakable faith. It tells of the characters and events which transformed a remote rural village into a bustling town. It is also the tale of two very different mining giants. Rio Tinto of Britain and Newmont of the US, and their sometimes acrimonious collaboration in one of the most testing and yet successful mining ventures in South African history. Loolekop is no more: replaced by a vast crater in the ground. From its shadow, however, has grown over the last quarter of a century a thriving multi-racial community bound by the challenge and promise of this unique and world-renowned operation. This is their story. Postage R55.00

This item is sold brand new. It is ordered on demand from our supplier and is usually dispatched within 7 - 11 working days Faversham has always been a hard-working town. Its very name, which was derived from Latin and Old English, means `the metal workers' village', and in Saxon times the area was a centre for the manufacture of jewellery. Its town market has been in continuous use for over 900 years and when King Steven established a huge abbey here it became, for a while, capital of the kingdom. With a navigable creek leading to the Swale seaway, fishermen have always plied their trade here; in fact the Faversham Oyster Fisheries Co. is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as being the oldest. Shepherd Neame's Brewery, which was established here, also claims to be Britain's oldest, and many surrounding farms supply the essential raw material: hops. Faversham is best known, though, for its explosives industry, which has been based here since the seventeenth century. Faversham gunpowder blasted through rocks and tunnels to allow faster growth of the railways. They also aided extraction of vital ores and minerals from mines. An increase in demand led to enlarged works at two different sites until an accidental explosion in 1916 brought about decline. Faversham at Work explores the working life of this charming Kent market town nestled in the heart of the `Garden of England'. In a fascinating series of contemporary photographs and illustrations, it looks at the rise and fall of the explosives industry, the town's long association with shipbuilding, the influence of brick making during the Victorian era and the continuing importance of fruit growing on the local economy. Features Summary A pictorial history of the working life of Faversham over the last century and more. Author Robert Turcan Publisher Amberley Publishing Release date 20170712 Pages 96 ISBN 1-4456-6890-4 ISBN 13 978-1-4456-6890-1