The indifferent attitude of the government notwithstanding, the campaign launched by the Earth station, a charitable trust, for the preservation of the abandoned Hul copper mines in Chamba district has received worldwide support from archaeologists.
The US-based Society for Industrial Archaeology (SLA) has appreciated the efforts of Anil K Bhalla, the chief executive of the Earth station, in rediscovering the mines abandoned over 200 years ago and launching a campaign for its preservation.
President of the society Jay Mc Cauley had offered to provide its conservation.
He informed the trust that there were many individuals and organisations in the Silicon Valley willing to support any endeavour of the trust to help preserve the old mines.
Founded in 1971, the SIA encourages the study, interpretation and preservation of historically significant industrial sites, structures, artifacts and technology.
The British Women Association for Archaeology also supported the initiative of the Earth station and underlined the need to conserve the rediscovered mines.
An exploratory expedition, organised by the Earth station, discovered the old mines on the basis of information available in the Gazetteer of Chamba state (1904).
The mines existed during the reign of Raja Pratap Singh Verma (1559-86 AD) As per references made in the Gazetteer, expeditions took place in which experts of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) were also associated.
Copper coins were used as currency in the erstwhile princely state of Chamba.
The heritage mines can be conserved by developing an adventure tourism circuit to promote it as an international tourist destination, Similar sites have been developed in America and many parts of Europe and one such site is the Great Orem Copper Mines in Europe.
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