I am doing research on the colonial iron industry of Virginia. During this period charcoal was produced by the controlled burning of a pile of wood. The wood was covered with a layer of leaves, dirt, charcoal dust, or some other material to preclude complete oxidation. The pile was refereed to by a number of terms including: pit, hearth, charcoal pit, meiler, and more recently collier's pit. I have found historical references to all but the last term. It is also not a term used by USGS. Does anyone know where it originated? Thanks JH Brothers IV