The Mine Offices and Smelting House

Situated close to the Mine Entrance the Mine Offices and Smelting House are set back slightly from the road, the mines and metal working processes are all managed from here. Both the Mine and the Smelting House are owned by the Laird  and the rules are simple.  For a small fee, any one can enter the mine and prospect for ore, however that ore must be sold to the Laird’s smelting house for a set fee.  However, the fee is set at a reasonable rate that allows miners to make a living from their skills. Miners pay 1 sp per month to enter the mines and the average miner can earn 1sp/day from mining ore.  Most of the copper from this mine is sent to Falmar where it is turned into Copper Pieces by the Royal Mint, although it is possible to buy  copper or bronze ingots directly from the smelting house. In amongst the ore miners may find Gem stones, such as azurite, malachite or turquoise, among the ore and these are considered to be the property of the finder rather the Laird.  Unpolished azurite or malachite can (on average) be sold for 2gp each, while an unpolished turquoise will command 3gp - adding handsomely to the miners’ incomes.  This is for an average sized nugget that can be polished into a suitable sized stone for use in jewellery.  Large stones command a higher price. This practice may well change if really expensive stones are found in the mine.  The Mine Office This is where all the day-to-day business is carried out, and miners come here to purchase a mining permit or to sell the ore they have collected.  The mine clerk, Alice ‘Kipper’ Twigfast keeps records of all the permits issued and what ore is bought in.  The mine supervisor, Oskar Loderr, assays the ore and decided on its value.  The mine office is only open during the afternoons. The Kiln Room Two large charcoal fuelled kiln furnace complexes treat the copper.  First the Ore is crushed sieved and placed into a boiling tank with water with steam distilled pine oil. This produces a froth that somehow helps separate the copper bearing ore from the waste rock that is crarried in with it.  A kiln furnace then heats the copper ore until it is molten, the slag is skimmed off and the residual metal poured into sand moulds to make ingots.  When the ingots are cooled they are transported to the store, while the slag is dumped outside for later disposal. Ingot Store Ingots of copper are stored here before they are transported to Falmar, via Kethlow.  The store also contains smaller ingots of tin, imported via Kethlow, which can be added to the molten tin to make bronze.  The resulting bronze ingots are stored here until they are sold. Over in the corner there are flasks of pine oil, steam distilled at Charbon’s Tower. Ore Yard Once the ore has been assayed and recorded, it is stored here, along with bins of charcoal and piles of pine needles.  While the kilns are running you will often find gangs of workmen crushing the ore ready for the boiling tanks. Slag Yard This is where all the debris from the smelting process is dumped, gangs of labourers eventually take it back into the mines and dump it into old mine shafts or pits

Alice ‘Kipper’ Twigfast – Middle Aged Halfling   female -  Mine Clerk.  Kipper is fairly prim and proper in her approach -  she always wears a white high necks blouse and a long dark skirt.  She is very efficient and always accurate.  She knows most of the miners and has their respect. Oskar Loderr – middle aged, Dwarf, Male – Mine warden.  Oskar is a miner through and through -  he comes from a long line of miners and understands mining and smelting techniques as well as anyone.  He tends to lecture a bit, if he sees inexperienced miners, but he  tends to be supportive of people working in the mine.  He often gets his shirt off and hews a few rock, and always seems to come home with a gemstone or two to sell on.   He tends to  swears like a trooper when he is talking to other miners, which upsets ‘Kipper’ if he happens to be in the office at the time.