Welsh Journals

Between 1859 and 1891 the average annual output was more than 60,000 tons, but one after another the mines closed down, and for about 17 years the industry was dormant. A mine at Llanharry was opened in 1910 and another near Pontyclun in 1919, and of this dis- trict alone among the metalliferous mining centres in Wales can it be said that both an assured output and a steady demand can be anticipated. In his Memoir on the Iron Ores of South Wales and the Forest of Dean," Dr. Sibly writes: Tn view of the high grade of the ore and the comparatively large tracts of undeveloped ground. the future production of haematite in the Llanharry district is likely to maintain the stand- ard of recent vears." This standard is high, for in 1925 the Llanharry Mine produced 95,000 tons of ore, of which about three-quarters is used in the blast furnaces of South Wales (8). To summarize what has already been said, it would appear that, with certain exceptions, there is little prospect of an increase in the near future in the importance of the metalliferous mining industry in Wales, which at present finds em- ployment for between 400 and 450 men. This is not surprising when one bears in mind that the 1 J. F. Rees. The Smaller Welsh Industries," Welsh Outlook, September, 1927, pp. 240-2. 2 K. Carpenter. Notes on the History of the Cardiganshire Lead Mines," Aberystwyth Studies, Vol. V. (1923), p. 99. 3 A. K. H. Jenkin. Cornish Mining: Its Past and Future," Mining Magazine, Vol. XXXIII (1925), pp. 376-9. 4 Robert Hunt. Notices of the History of the Lead Mines of Cardiganshire," in Memoirs of the Geological Survey, Vol. II., Part II., pp. 635-654. 5 W. W. Smyth. On the Mining District of Car- diganshire and Montgomeryshire," in Memoirs of the Geological Survey, Vol. II., Part II., pp. 655-68'. 6 E. Greenly. The Geology of Anglesey," in Memoirs of the Geological Survey, 1919. 7 Memoirs of the Geological Survey. Special Welsh ore-fields have been worked for many decades, and that in recent years exploration abroad has made available vast supplies of easily worked material. Fortunately, in the case of the quarrying in- dustry, which will be discussed on a future occasion, although the past history may be less romantic than that of the mines, both present conditions and future prospects are encouraging. The writer has shown elsewhere the effect on the slate quarrying industry of the construction of railways (14). Most of the branch railway lines in North Wales were constructed to and through slate regions, and the quarries so served increased in importance, while in other areas, which remained relatively inaccessible, the in- dustry declined. It is more than likely that if the development of transport facilities rendered them more access- ible, some of the metalliferous mines which can- not at present be worked remuneratively would take a new lease of life. The modern tendency is towards the construction of roads rather than of railways, and for road-making purposes North Wales has unlimited reserves of the best class of material. BIBLIOGRAPHY. Reports on the Mineral Resources of Great Britain. Vol. I., Tungsten and Manganese Ore, 1923. 8 Vol. X. Iron Ores-The Haematite of the Forest of Dean and South Wales. 1927. 9 Vol. XIII. Iron Ores. Pre-Carboniferous and Carboniferous Bedded Ores of England and Wales. 1920. M Vol. XIX. Lead and Zinc Ores in the Carbon- iferous Rocks of North Wales. 1921. 11 Vol. XX. Lead and Zinc. The Mining District of North Cardiganshire and West Montgomery- shire. 1922. 12 Vol. XXIII. Lead and Zinc Ores in the Pre- Carboniferous Rocks of West Shropshire and North Wales. 1922. « Vol. XXX. Copper Ores of the Midlands, Wales, the Lake District and the Isle of Man. 1925. 14 F. J. North. Coal, and the Coalfields in Wales (National Museum of Wales), 1926. THE STORY OF TWO WELSH PARISHES, DOLCELLEY AND LLANELLTYD. By T. P. Ellis, M.A. To be published early in the New Year. Welsh Outlook Press. 5/- nett. Intending subscribers should send in their names to either the Manager, Welsh Outlook Press, Newtown, or to Mr. Ellis, Llysmynach, Dolgelley, not later than the 31st December, and a copy of the work will be forwarded immediately on publication.