(Born: 1803?; Died: 1852) American mining & civil engineer.

Biographical references: ABA: I 1219, 189-192. • Adams, Dictionary of American Authors, 1904. • Appleton Cyclopedia of American Biography. • Drake, Dictionary of American Biography, 1872. • Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography. • WBI.

Practical Mineralogy, 1851

1. English, 1851 [First edition].
Practical | Mineralogy, | Assaying And Mining; | With | A Description Of The Useful Minerals, | And | Instructions For Assaying And Mining | According To | The Simplest Methods. | By | Frederick Overman, | [...3 lines of titles and writings...] | [rule] | Philadelphia: | Lindsay & Blakiston. | 1851.

8°: [i]-x, [13]-230 p.

Contents: [i-ii], Title page, verso "Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, ..."; iii-iv, "Introduction."-dated 1 March 1851.; v-x, "Table Of Contents."; [13]-225, Text.; [226]-230, "Practical Remarks."

Scarce. Probably a cash-in on the California gold rush, begun 2 year prior, this book presents detailed geological and mining information about a wide variety of minerals, including gold, iron, copper, silver, mercury, zinc, tin, chalk, diamonds, emery, flint, amber, asbestos, limestones, manganese, marl, ochre, sulfur, and many more. Special chapters concern assaying gold ore, lead ore, process of cupelling, forming a muffle, refining lead to obtain gold and silver, blasting tools, subterranean mining, etc. It was apparently a poplar work being reissued for many years with the title page claiming a new edition but with out the text being changed in any significant way.

Other editions: 2nd edition, 1853: x, [13]-230 p.

3rd edition, 1854: x, [13]-230 p.

6th edition, 1863: x, [13]-230 p.

7th edition, 1867: x, [13]-230 p.

11th edition, 1882: x, [13]-230 p.

Bibliographical references: NUC. • USGS Library Catalog.

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