The Methods and Tools of Mining in Yesteryear Were Impressive

It was the Romans who developed large scale mining methods, especially the use of large volumes of water brought to the mine head by numerous aqueducts. The water was used for a variety of purposes, including removing overburden and rock debris, called hydraulic mining, as well as washing comminuted, or crushed, ores and driving simple machinery.

Read about a number of tools the ancients used in mining in Phoenicia, Greece, Rome, and Egypt. See how modern mining techniques evolved.
https://hubpages.com/education/Ancient-Mining-Tools-and-Techniques

Lead mining in the upper Mississippi River region of the U.S., 1865.