It occurs to me that AditNow users who haven't come across it already might like to know about the mining-history email list
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/archives/mining-history.html .
It's a forum "for the discussion of all aspects of the history of mining and associated activity, including ore preparation, on-site smelting, transport systems, social conditions, etc., in a national or international context."
The postings tend towards the academic side of mining history and archaeology - for instance the notice of the Mining and quarrying archaeology meeting I posted in the Events section came from the list. There is a searchable archive going back to 1998.
Dave