It may seems strange, but Romans didn´t know minerals, despite various mines date back to these times, but so they didn´t know mines. Roman naturalist used the term "metallum", derived from the Greek language, to describe both real metals, as salt, sulphur or gemstones. “Ad metallum damnare” was therefore the punishment to work in mines and to excavate metals. Only in medieval times the term “metalliarum” or “metallum” / “metullum” refers in specific to both metals, like gold and iron, as mines where such metals are found.
The modern term and use of the mine derives probably from the celtic word “meini”, may referring to ore as the mine, as still in medieval Latin the word “minera/minora” can be used to describe both metal as the galleries where it´s found. For sure the word “minae” referring to mining activities, can be found in documents dating back to 1143.
From medieval mines the word will later give to "the minerals" their name and finally to the "study of minerals" - mineralogy.
Fig.1. Lecture in mineralogy, from Bartholomäus Anglicus "Über die Eigenschaften der Dinge" (1390-1400), on the Characteristics of Things.
Bibliography:
GRUBER, F. (2004): Einige Ausdrücke des Montanwesens in etymologischer - sprachgeschichtlicher Sicht. Res Montanarum. Nr. 34: 101-112
Bibliography:
GRUBER, F. (2004): Einige Ausdrücke des Montanwesens in etymologischer - sprachgeschichtlicher Sicht. Res Montanarum. Nr. 34: 101-112