All of us who have had much to do with mining know that the majority of the best mineral finds have been made by the purest accident; often by men who had no mining knowledge whatever; and that many valuable discoveries have been delayed, or, when made, abandoned as not payable, from the same cause—­ignorance of the rudiments of mineralogy and mining.  I have frequently been asked by prospectors, when inspecting new mineral fields, what rudimentary knowledge will be most useful to them and how it can be best obtained.

If a man can spare the time a course of lessons at some accredited school of mines will be, undoubtedly, the best possible training; but if he asks what books he should read in order to obtain some primary technical instruction, I reply:  First, an introductory text-book of geology, which will tell him in the simplest and plainest language all he absolutely requires to know on this important subject.  Every prospector should understand elementary geology so far as general knowledge of the history of the structure of the earth’s crust and of the several actions that have taken place in the past, or are now in operation, modifying its conditions.  He may with advantage go a few steps further and learn to classify the various formations into systems, groups, and series:  but he can acquire all that he need absolutely know from this useful little 2s. 6d. book.  Next, it is advisable to learn something about the occurrence and appearance of the valuable minerals and the formations in which they are found.  For all practical purposes I can recommend Cox and Ratte’s “Mines and Minerals,” one of the Technical Education series of New South Wales, which deals largely with the subject from an Australian standpoint, and is therefore particularly valuable to the Australian miner, but which will be found applicable to most other gold-bearing countries.  I must not, however, omit to mention an admirably compiled multum in parvo volume prepared by Mr. G. Goyder, jun., Government Assayer and Assay Instructor at the School of Mines, Adelaide.  It is called the “Prospectors’ Pocketbook,” costs only one shilling, is well bound, and of handy size to carry.  In brief, plain language it describes how a man, having learned a little of assaying, may cheaply provide himself with a portable assay plant, and fluxes, and also gives considerable general information on the subject of minerals, their occurrence and treatment.[*]

     [*] Another excellent and really practical book is Prof. 
     Cole’s “Practical Aids in Geology” (second edition), 10s.
     6d.