e, is the metalliferous valley, running from east to west, between the two parallel valleys of the Gail and the Drave, but at a level considerably above the waters of these rivers.
f g, is the direction of a great many vertical beds of metalliferous limestone.
On considering the direction and dip of the marly schist, and metalliferous limestone, in the space w, w, to the west of the line 1, s, it would appear that a great portion of this system of mountains has suffered a slip between 1, s, and a parallel one towards the east; whereby, probably, that vertical position of the strata has been produced, which exists through a considerable extent. The metalliferous limestone is covered to a certain thickness with a marly schist, and other more recent rocks. It is in this schist that the fine marble known under the name of the lumachella of Bleyberg is quarried.
The galena occurs in the bosom of this rock in flattened masses, or blocks of a considerable volume, which are not separated from the rest of the calcareous beds by any seam. It is accompanied by zinc ore (calamine), especially in the upper parts of the mountain.
Several of the workable masses are indicated by r, r3; each presents itself as a solid analogous to a very elongated ellipse, whose axis dips, not according to the inclination of the surrounding rock, but to an oblique or intermediate line between this inclination, and the direction of the beds of limestone; as shown by r w, r′ u. Every thing indicates the contemporaneous formation of the limestone, and the lying beds of the lead ore.
The accidents or faults called kluft (rent) at Bleyberg are visible on the surface of the ground. Experienced miners have remarked that the rich masses occur more frequently in the direction of these accidents than elsewhere.
It is in general by galleries cut horizontally in the body of the mountain, and at different levels, s, g, s f, that the miner advances towards the masses of ore r, r3. Many of these galleries are 500 fathoms long before they reach a workable mass. The several galleries are placed in communication by a few shafts, such as t; but few of these are sunk deeper than the level of the valley e.
The total length of the mines of Bleyberg is about 10,000 yards, parallel to the valley e; in which space there are 500 concessions granted by the government to various individuals or joint stock societies, either by themselves or associated with the government.
The metalliferous valley contains 5000 inhabitants, all deriving subsistence from the mines; 300 of whom are occupied in the government works.
Each concession has a number and a name; as Antoni, Christoph, Matthæus, Oswaldi, 2, 8, 36, &c.