Copper Tin and Arsenic Mining in Cornwall. Two miles from St. Just, between Roscommon and Trewallard, and clinging to the cliff tops of the North Cornwall coast can

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EH105 History Workshop, Documents Assignment.                        S. Elton 10/1/2006

Copper Tin and Arsenic Mining in Cornwall.

Two miles from St. Just, between Roscommon and Trewallard, and clinging to the cliff tops of the North Cornwall coast can be found the remains of one of the most productive mines of Cornwall’s once thriving mine industry. Levant mine is unique in the fact that its workings, 350 fathoms deep, extend over a mile out under the Atlantic Ocean in search of the rich minerals it once produced. Although closed in 1930 and flooded by the sea, which is stained a muddy red with the discharge from the adits of this and the adjoining Geevor mine, substantial deposits of copper ore remain. Item one, a Statement of account for 4 months ending September 1st, 1888, gives a clear insight to the value of the copper ores being extracted from Levant at the height of its productivity and shows a four month clear profit of £1231.14.8. against a total balance of £3311.5.8. “in favour of the adventurers (major shareholders). This document also provides an interesting insight into the running costs of the mine during this same period. With a total of around £24,000 being realised over these four months, a tidy sum for 1888, the willingness of the mine owners to accept the dangers of undertaking excavations under the seabed can be understood. Mention is also given in this document of Mr R. Boyns as a member of the committee of the mine “for the next 64 weeks”. Richard Boyns had formed a consortium to mine at Levant in 1820 and almost immediately discovered a rich copper vein that was to pay a high dividend to the shareholders. He ran the mine until its takeover in 1871 by a larger company. However, as the 19th Century drew to a close Cornwall had begun to loose its position as the world’s largest copper producer and so; therefore, most of the mines had turned to the production of arsenic. In 1894 the Adventurers employed auditors, or agents, to assess the value of Levant mine, and their report is shown in item 2. Again, this document makes interesting reading and is a revelation to the deposits that remained still to be worked. By far the richest workings were at the 302-fathom level and copper was still the main source of interest, being valued here at £20.00 per fathom at a removal cost of £9.00 per fathom with the stopes at the back of this level being worth £18.00 per fathom. It can also be noted from this document that at this time the mine employed 331 men and 45 boys in “every department underground”.

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Item 3 is a photograph taken in the early 1900’s, and clearly shows the mines close proximity to the sea. The pumping engine for the mine is clearly visible in the background. Although this was a submarine mine it always remained, and was known as, a dry mine. A report of 1837 stated that the maximum quantity of water discharged was just 31 imperial gallons per minute over the year, remarkable considering the location!

During the early years of the 20th Century Cornwall had lost its position as one of the worlds leading copper producers and this was also true ...

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