Waterpowered oremining plant in the 16th century
Mining for ore. Engraving of a waterpowered mine at Freiburg, Germany, in the 16th century. This project was led by the German mineralogist Georgus Agricola. A water wheel (at left) provides the power to lift buckets full of rocks and metal ore out of the mine below. The water wheel, and therefore the lifing mechanism, is lever controlled by a man stationed in a box at upper left. Release ...