Impact of Mining on Australia’s History
Since the early eighteenth century, mining in Australia has had a pivotal impact on the development of the economy and environment, which has successfully continued unto today as one of Australia's most fundamental industries. In particular, the Glen Osmond silver-lead mines in South Australia have not only produced significant amounts of silver lead since its foundation, yet has also been recognised as the establishment of mining in Australia, which has ultimately revolutionised the nation. Although the mineral’s exploitation has not been as widespread in Australia (or the world) as the coal mining industry, the discovery and mining of lead in Glen Osmond had both an immediate and long term effect on …show more content…
Migration to Australia (from England) prior to 1840 under the government’s vision for an emancipist consumer economy resulted in over 58,000 immigrants arriving for work and settlement. Although this contributed to the growth of the nation and its industries, immigrants began seeking more jobs to cater for personal needs. Thus, the developments of the Glen Osmond mine “generated a new mood of optimism1” for colonial residents, successively expanding its exports for larger communities. Gilles had initially employed only four miners, with the purpose of mining and exporting lead to England for smelting. Mining of the mineral at the time consisted of no extreme methods to extract it from underground as lead was simply discovered on the surface of the hills of Glen Osmond. However, over time lead mining in Glen Osmond became more of an underground operation as the mineral could be found beneath the surface, hence drilling, blasting and transferring the minerals via spiral tunnels became adopted methods utilised by Cornish miners to extract the lead from the region . Once the mineral is extracted it then endures a purification process which eliminates other elements so as to obtain the lead without any …show more content…
Journalists from around the country had visited the mines to report on its sheer size and “enormous” profit. One Sydney journalist captures the significance of the mine and its impact on the lives of miners by describing how it “pays for their candles and their food.” This expression demonstrates how labour in the Glen Osmond mines has been rewarding in terms of providing essential supplies to families, which had been difficult to attain prior to the establishment of the mines given the harsh economic conditions the colony was
Since the early eighteenth century, mining in Australia has had a pivotal impact on the development of the economy and environment, which has successfully continued unto today as one of Australia's most fundamental industries. In particular, the Glen Osmond silver-lead mines in South Australia have not only produced significant amounts of silver lead since its foundation, yet has also been recognised as the establishment of mining in Australia, which has ultimately revolutionised the nation. Although the mineral’s exploitation has not been as widespread in Australia (or the world) as the coal mining industry, the discovery and mining of lead in Glen Osmond had both an immediate and long term effect on …show more content…
Migration to Australia (from England) prior to 1840 under the government’s vision for an emancipist consumer economy resulted in over 58,000 immigrants arriving for work and settlement. Although this contributed to the growth of the nation and its industries, immigrants began seeking more jobs to cater for personal needs. Thus, the developments of the Glen Osmond mine “generated a new mood of optimism1” for colonial residents, successively expanding its exports for larger communities. Gilles had initially employed only four miners, with the purpose of mining and exporting lead to England for smelting. Mining of the mineral at the time consisted of no extreme methods to extract it from underground as lead was simply discovered on the surface of the hills of Glen Osmond. However, over time lead mining in Glen Osmond became more of an underground operation as the mineral could be found beneath the surface, hence drilling, blasting and transferring the minerals via spiral tunnels became adopted methods utilised by Cornish miners to extract the lead from the region . Once the mineral is extracted it then endures a purification process which eliminates other elements so as to obtain the lead without any …show more content…
Journalists from around the country had visited the mines to report on its sheer size and “enormous” profit. One Sydney journalist captures the significance of the mine and its impact on the lives of miners by describing how it “pays for their candles and their food.” This expression demonstrates how labour in the Glen Osmond mines has been rewarding in terms of providing essential supplies to families, which had been difficult to attain prior to the establishment of the mines given the harsh economic conditions the colony was