Leon Moissenet (mining engineer), Translated into English by Tony Clarke , HB,175pp

In 1857, Leon Moissenet, a distinguished French engineer, visited Cornwall and examined the workings of several famous mines, including the great Dolcoath. Moissenet was particularly interested in the way that tin ore was raised, crushed and dressed. His extremely careful and intelligent observations of these processes led to the book he published in French the following year. Tony Clark was a senior mineral processing technician at Camborne School of Mines for 25 years. His translation of this book is a tremendous achievement, and the value of it to researchers cannot be exaggerated.
This is a book that will be most appreciated by the connoisseur: those men who love to discover the way science and mechanics have developed over the centuries. No industry displayed more ingenuity at the „grass roots‟ level, historically, than the Cornish mining industry. Every part of the tin ore dressing process witnessed constant improvements over the centuries, and most of these innovations resulted from the efforts of the ordinary men who operated the systems. Moissenet observed and described the state of play in the middle of the century, which saw most of these improvements. Contrary to a widely-held, but inaccurate belief, Cornish mine managers were constantly trying new methods and improving on old ones. The idea that they were universally „old fashioned‟, reactionary and reluctant to change is a myth which is quickly dispelled once the evidence is examined. Moissenet described an industry which was fundamentally forward looking and constantly seeking improvements in both economy and efficiency. The sheer variety of systems and processes he found in the many mines he visited proves the desire for improvement evident throughout the industry.
This book is highly recommended and for all those interested in how things worked(review from cornish miners assiciation newsletter)