ITEM DETAILS
Title: The Fundamentals of Mining for Gemstones and Mineral Specimens
Author: Jim Clanin
Publisher: New England Historical Publications, Massachusetts
Publication Date: 2012
Edition: First Edition, First Printing
Condition: Good
ITEM DESCRIPTION
Substantial hardcover manual on small-scale gem and mineral mining, richly illustrated throughout in color and black-and-white. Jim Clanin draws on more than three decades of hands-on work as a contract miner and geologist in Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Myanmar, California, Maine, and northern England to explain how real-world gemstone operations are planned, opened, and run. The book was issued by New England Historical Publications in Massachusetts and has become a respected reference in the gem and mineral collecting community, frequently cited in specialist journals and mining literature.
The text begins with an introduction to gem mining, followed by detailed chapters on the geology and mineralogy of gem deposits, maps and sketching in the field, mining equipment, explosives and blasting, practical mining methods, digging pockets and marketing material, mineral dressing, and camp logistics including sanitation, security, and power in remote regions. Later chapters focus on mine first aid, working under MSHA and ATF&E regulations, and practical tips for buying in developing countries and dealing respectfully with local communities. Eight extended case studies show emerald mining in Madagascar, garnet and ruby deposits in East Africa, high-elevation gem mining in northern Pakistan, underground fluorite mining in Weardale, England, and the CryoGenie pegmatite and other localities in the United States, each illustrated with photographs, maps, headframe diagrams, drilling patterns, and mine layouts.
The volume is generously produced on heavy semi-gloss paper, with hundreds of in-text photographs showing underground headings, open pits, blasting sequences, sluice setups, processing plants, mineral specimens, and on-site equipment ranging from hand tools and wheelbarrows to excavators, compressors, and air-lift pumps. Appendices include a substantial “Terms and Definitions” glossary tailored to field miners, a reference and bibliography section pointing collectors toward classic mining and gemology texts, and a directory of mining supply and equipment companies for sourcing drills, explosives, safety gear, and other essentials. For anyone serious about understanding how gemstones are actually extracted from the ground, this book offers an unusually practical combination of geology, engineering, field logistics, and marketing advice.
Physical condition is very good overall for a roughly 10–15-year-old, heavily illustrated technical mining manual, but it does show some expected light shelf and handling wear. The maroon pictorial boards are bright and glossy, with scattered surface scuffing and a few small rub marks from storage, plus minor wear at the spine ends and fore-corner tips. The spine lettering remains clear and legible, and the board edges are generally sharp with no major bumps or dings noted. The page block looks clean and uniform when viewed from the top and fore edge, with only very slight waviness typical of thick coated stock and no obvious soiling, spotting, or handling smudges.
Inside, the hinges feel solid and the binding remains tight and square; this copy does not appear to have been heavily read. Endpapers are fresh and bright without bookplates, stamps, or stickers. The text pages are crisp and pleasantly bright, with no underlining, highlighting, or margin notes observed. The title page is neatly signed in ink by Jim Clanin without any personal inscription, adding appeal for collectors of modern gemology and mining literature. I do not notice any significant tears, creases, stains, or pockets of foxing, and there are no loose or missing pages evident. No dust jacket is present, as shown.
Make sure to see the photos above for complete details.
402 pages.
Measures approximately 11 1/4 inches tall by 8 3/4 inches wide by 1 1/4 inches thick.
KEYWORDS
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