According to the account in A Progress to the Mines (Byrd 1732)  
Spotswood was blasting out ore. At least initially this would have  
been done by Europeans because use of explosives requires some prior  
experience (at least if you want to retain all of your fingers and  
toes). While later this may have been done by slaves, given the  
attitude towards arming slaves it seems unlikely that gunpowder and  
fuzes would have been deemed appropriate. As has been pointed out  
there were Germans mining ore for Spotswood.

James Brothers, RPA
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