Yemenite Mines Hajari and Turabi
Some of the mines in Yemen are as follows: a gold and silver mine in
Jabal, a mine at Kharbah Dhi Jazb, one mine each at Ibn and AfTq, a
gold mine in the upper reaches of the fields in the middle of Jaruf in the
town of 'Anas, a mine of rasas-i-aswad in the upper part of Jaru. There is
a black stone mine in the valley of Jarishshah-i-'Anas which descends towards Warqah. In the east are blackish shrubs, while when coming down
towards Warqah, one comes across a mine of black stones which are like
antimony. When brayed and burnt along with the excreta of domestic
fowls, they turn liquid.
There is a mine in the town of Banu Ghasin near Hashran near a
desolate tract in two rocky wildernesses. The soil of these wildernesses is
pale green. Quicksilver or vinegar is added to it, and it is kept for six
days in curd water and grape (juice). When cooked, it turns liquid, foam
deposits upon the surface, and it froths. It is not mixed with borax: in
fact, borax is poured upon it. But the addition of borax is withheld until
a cock is sacrificed according to the number of the mines. A goat or cow
may also be sacrificed, if the number of the mines is quite substantial, it
is a cow that is sacrificed, if of average strength a goat, and, if very small,
a cock.
Among the celebrated mines which yield good-quality silver is a mine
situated at Radard between Khulan and Hamadan. This mine once belonged to Banu Ya'far; they used to mine silver from it. The author of
the Jazirat al-'Arab has said that recently the upper part of a mountain
was excavated. Probably it is in the possession of Banu Nahm. Here
there are some excellent rasas-i-aswad and silver mines owned by Banu
Nahm.
To the west, in the city of Razi' is a silver mine. Imam Sharf al-Din
used to have it mined for silver. Probably a mountain has fallen upon it,
as said by those who are knowledgeable about this fact.
There are several mines in the mountain of Naqam. There is an
excellent gold mine and an iron mine from which Banu Himyarite make
swords. These were also called Yara'shiyah as they had been forged
during the reign of Yar'ash,
The author of the Jazirat al-'Arab says:
There are mines of precious stones also there, e.g., those of emerald,
jacynth, beryl, crystal and juz'. There is a gold mine at Sa'wan, as
also stone mines, one of the stones occurring there being called hajar-
i-Maryami. The mine at Sarwah yields good gold. There is a gold
mine at Bayhan (Al-Jawf) too.
The author of the Kitab al-Tijan (The Book of Diadems) has mentioned the mines at the mountain of Ablaq. These are situated near Sadd
Ma'arib. Banu Qahtan, 'Ad and Himayr knew these mines and pressed
