260
MINING IN THE
CHAP. X.
quantity of metal must have been formerly ex-tracted. The silver was coined at Ville-Magne,at a mint established there ; the walls, the orna-ments, and the sculpture of which display, evenin their ruins, a royal origin 1 . The numberof other and smaller mines, both of lead andof silver, in the same neighbourhood, is veryconsiderable, but, according to Genssane, ofvery little productiveness at present. Some ofthem had been worked within the memory ofpersons still alive, and of others it was merelyreported that they had been exhausted in re-mote ages.
Thus, near the baths of Rennes , in Langue-doc 2 are remains of very extensive mines oflead and silver, the ruins of which point out thequality of the products. This is particularlythe case with the mines in the mountains ofCardon and Roquenere, and with that of goldin the mountain Blanchfort, about a quarter ofa league below the baths 3 .
An ancient mine of silver, at the foot of theChateau de la Caunette, had been examined bya commission from the king during the ministryof Colbert, when it was found to be filled withwater. Genssane visited and examined that
2 Idem, vol. ii. p. 187-
3 Idem, vol. iv. p. 187-