Hard Rock Epic – Western Miners and the Industrial Revolution 1860-1910 (book review)

Title :- Hard Rock Epic – Western Miners and the Industrial Revolution 1860-1910

By :- Mark Wyman

Published :- University of California Press, USA & London 1979 Paperback (300 pages).

Outline :- Early (1860 – 1901) underground mineral mining in the USA evolved in an era where mining safety and manpower regulations were undeveloped, and where the over simplified outlook of free enterprise started to look like the mine owners could just earn profits and the miners look after themselves. However the absentee owners were often squeezed into a relationship of simply receiving a royalty from miners co-operations who effectively ran the mines. The evolution of strikes, and owners use of military, as the only effective enforcement of commercial law. There were difficulties of getting workers and management to meaningfully communicate, and work together.

We can see many similarities in the Indonesian gold rush of the 1990’s, plus Au, Zr & Mn of the 2010’s plus the PT. Timah Tbk operations now flooded with informal miners.