Poldice mine is a former metalliferous mine located in Poldice Valley in southwest Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated near the hamlet of Todpool, between the villages of Twelveheads and St Day, three miles (5 km) east of Redruth. Since the early 2000’s the area has been adopted by the local mountain biking community known as the Dice Rollers. The area is now nationally famous as the best location to ride MTB in the south west attracting attention from youtube superstars such as Ben Deakin and his friend Matt Edgie. This is a popular location for mountain bicycling
A legal document of 1512 about a theft of tin "near Poldyth in Wennap" indicates that mining was probably taking place around Poldice at that time, but this mine is certainly known to have been in operation by the 17th century.[1] At the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century, 800 to 1,000 men were employed.[2]
In 1748, Poldice's chief adventurer William Lemon and manager John Williams started the Great County Adit in the Carnon Valley. It formed a cheap and effective method of draining many of the mines in the locality and also provided a means of locating new lodes of ore.[3] When the adit reached Poldice in the late 1760s,[4] the mine was using two Newcomen steam engines, with cylinders of diameter 66 inches and 60 inches to drain the mine into the adit.[1]
As the mine was some distance from the sea, transport to market was a problem for the mining operation. A pioneering railway, the Portreath Tramroad was opened in 1812 giving access to Portreath harbour.
In November 1821 a 90-inch Woolf single-cylinder pumping engine was installed at the mine, the third one of this size in the county, after two had been installed at Consolidated Mines in February of the same year. These were by far the largest steam engines in Cornwall at the time.[5] In 1842 this engine was raising an average of 887 gallons per minute and it was one of the most heavily worked engines in the county.[6] It was re-cylindered as an 85 inch in 1845 and was still working well when it was sold for £700 in August 1867 to Great Western Deep Coal Co. in the Forest of Dean.[6]
By the 1860s the copper industry was in decline, and some time between 1869 and 1872 the mine sold £12,000 worth of redundant equipment to J. C. Lanyon & Son of Redruth, a major dealer and exporter of mine equipment.[7] Despite these sales, the mine purchased from Perran Foundry a new 85-inch pumping engine that cost £2,250 and which was in operation by early 1873. At the time it was needed to deal with the water flooding into the mine as a result of a very wet winter, but in July 1873 after working for just 6 months, the engine was up for sale and the mine had closed because it was unable to cope with the cost of pumping water out of the workings. The engine was sold to a company in Scotland.[8]
Mineralsedit
The mine was extracting tin ore in 1748, but by 1788 the output of copper ore exceeded that of tin, and by the 1790s it was making a good profit. In the early 19th century the mine merged with neighbour Wheal Unity.[1] The mine switched to arsenic extraction, although metals were still being mined in decreasing quantities, but by the 1910s most of the activity was over and although small-scale mining continued into the 1920s, it closed in 1930.[9]
Today, the ruins of many mine buildings and mineshafts are visible in the Poldice Valley, which has not seen any further development since the end of mining. The valley is now a nature reserve.[citation needed]
Mineral Statisticsedit
From Robert Hunt's Mineral Statistics of the United Kingdom[10].
Copper Production (from ticketing records; 1801-1867)
Year(s)
Ore (Tons)
Metal (Tons)
Value (£)
Comment
1801
925.00
78.32
7345.75
Cu est., 6 months only
1802
1497.00
118.71
9860.85
Cu est., c 6 months only
1803
2176.00
183.84
18337.25
Cu est., c 8 months only
1804
4295.00
337.41
37296.08
Cu est
1805
4852.00
382.84
52785.53
Cu est
1806
4654.00
402.10
41806.93
..
1807
4189.00
383.74
32859.98
Cu partly est
1808
3678.00
357.94
25938.38
Cu est
1809
3529.00
284.54
31259.80
Cu est
1810
3559.00
262.75
25331.35
..
1811
3659.00
289.97
25295.68
..
1812
1882.00
147.92
12003.90
..
1813
680.00
54.22
4616.10
..
1814
989.00
77.68
7765.20
..
1815
854.00
62.47
5390.65
..
1816
914.00
69.04
4612.73
..
1817
619.00
43.46
3084.70
..
1818
970.00
52.49
5015.48
..
1819
726.00
46.23
4282.15
Cu est., with Unity
1820
553.00
39.66
3106.00
With Unity
1821
1322.00
107.33
7423.40
..
1822
2955.00
259.08
19518.00
Includes some Unity ore, Cu partly est., with Poldice & Unity Wood, excludes fluorspar sold at copper ticketings
1823
3792.00
365.90
29398.20
Includes 2 months Unity ore, Cu est. with Unity, & with Unity Wood, excludes fluorspar
1824
3678.00
342.80
27542.10
Cu est., with Unity, excludes fluorspar
1825
3490.00
290.03
28608.83
Cu est., with Unity
1826
3677.00
306.62
23279.40
Cu est., with Unity & Poldice, East
1827
3359.00
280.59
21674.78
Cu est., with Poldice, East & Unity. Excludes fluorspar
^. The Trevithick Society. Archived from the original on 9 August 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
^Burt, Roger; Burnley, Ray; Gill, Michael; Neill, Alasdair (2014). Mining in Cornwall and Devon: Mines and Men. University of Exeter Press. ISBN978-0-85989-889-8.
Poldice Valley, Bob Acton, Landfall Publications, 1990.
Sourcesedit
Barton, D. B. (1966). The Cornish Beam Engine (New ed.). Truro: D. Bradford Barton Ltd.
April 15, 2024
poldice, mine, former, metalliferous, mine, located, poldice, valley, southwest, cornwall, england, united, kingdom, situated, near, hamlet, todpool, between, villages, twelveheads, three, miles, east, redruth, since, early, 2000, area, been, adopted, local, m. Poldice mine is a former metalliferous mine located in Poldice Valley in southwest Cornwall England United Kingdom It is situated near the hamlet of Todpool between the villages of Twelveheads and St Day three miles 5 km east of Redruth Since the early 2000 s the area has been adopted by the local mountain biking community known as the Dice Rollers The area is now nationally famous as the best location to ride MTB in the south west attracting attention from youtube superstars such as Ben Deakin and his friend Matt Edgie This is a popular location for mountain bicyclingPoldiceThe ruins of Poldice mineLocationPoldice MineLocation in CornwallLocationSt DayCountyCornwallCountryEnglandCoordinates50 14 36 N 5 10 09 W 50 2433 N 5 1692 W 50 2433 5 1692ProductionProductsTin Copper Arsenic and othersHistoryOpened17th century or earlierClosed1930 Contents 1 History 2 Minerals 3 The site today 4 Mineral Statistics 5 See also 6 References 7 SourcesHistory editA legal document of 1512 about a theft of tin near Poldyth in Wennap indicates that mining was probably taking place around Poldice at that time but this mine is certainly known to have been in operation by the 17th century 1 At the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century 800 to 1 000 men were employed 2 In 1748 Poldice s chief adventurer William Lemon and manager John Williams started the Great County Adit in the Carnon Valley It formed a cheap and effective method of draining many of the mines in the locality and also provided a means of locating new lodes of ore 3 When the adit reached Poldice in the late 1760s 4 the mine was using two Newcomen steam engines with cylinders of diameter 66 inches and 60 inches to drain the mine into the adit 1 As the mine was some distance from the sea transport to market was a problem for the mining operation A pioneering railway the Portreath Tramroad was opened in 1812 giving access to Portreath harbour In November 1821 a 90 inch Woolf single cylinder pumping engine was installed at the mine the third one of this size in the county after two had been installed at Consolidated Mines in February of the same year These were by far the largest steam engines in Cornwall at the time 5 In 1842 this engine was raising an average of 887 gallons per minute and it was one of the most heavily worked engines in the county 6 It was re cylindered as an 85 inch in 1845 and was still working well when it was sold for 700 in August 1867 to Great Western Deep Coal Co in the Forest of Dean 6 By the 1860s the copper industry was in decline and some time between 1869 and 1872 the mine sold 12 000 worth of redundant equipment to J C Lanyon amp Son of Redruth a major dealer and exporter of mine equipment 7 Despite these sales the mine purchased from Perran Foundry a new 85 inch pumping engine that cost 2 250 and which was in operation by early 1873 At the time it was needed to deal with the water flooding into the mine as a result of a very wet winter but in July 1873 after working for just 6 months the engine was up for sale and the mine had closed because it was unable to cope with the cost of pumping water out of the workings The engine was sold to a company in Scotland 8 Minerals editThe mine was extracting tin ore in 1748 but by 1788 the output of copper ore exceeded that of tin and by the 1790s it was making a good profit In the early 19th century the mine merged with neighbour Wheal Unity 1 The mine switched to arsenic extraction although metals were still being mined in decreasing quantities but by the 1910s most of the activity was over and although small scale mining continued into the 1920s it closed in 1930 9 Apart from the enormous quantities of the common ores mined at Poldice the area was also known for rarer and more valuable minerals including chalcophyllite olivenite mimetite and liroconite citation needed The site today editToday the ruins of many mine buildings and mineshafts are visible in the Poldice Valley which has not seen any further development since the end of mining The valley is now a nature reserve citation needed Mineral Statistics editFrom Robert Hunt s Mineral Statistics of the United Kingdom 10 Copper Production from ticketing records 1801 1867 Year s Ore Tons Metal Tons Value Comment1801 925 00 78 32 7345 75 Cu est 6 months only1802 1497 00 118 71 9860 85 Cu est c 6 months only1803 2176 00 183 84 18337 25 Cu est c 8 months only1804 4295 00 337 41 37296 08 Cu est1805 4852 00 382 84 52785 53 Cu est1806 4654 00 402 10 41806 93 1807 4189 00 383 74 32859 98 Cu partly est1808 3678 00 357 94 25938 38 Cu est1809 3529 00 284 54 31259 80 Cu est1810 3559 00 262 75 25331 35 1811 3659 00 289 97 25295 68 1812 1882 00 147 92 12003 90 1813 680 00 54 22 4616 10 1814 989 00 77 68 7765 20 1815 854 00 62 47 5390 65 1816 914 00 69 04 4612 73 1817 619 00 43 46 3084 70 1818 970 00 52 49 5015 48 1819 726 00 46 23 4282 15 Cu est with Unity1820 553 00 39 66 3106 00 With Unity1821 1322 00 107 33 7423 40 1822 2955 00 259 08 19518 00 Includes some Unity ore Cu partly est with Poldice amp Unity Wood excludes fluorspar sold at copper ticketings1823 3792 00 365 90 29398 20 Includes 2 months Unity ore Cu est with Unity amp with Unity Wood excludes fluorspar1824 3678 00 342 80 27542 10 Cu est with Unity excludes fluorspar1825 3490 00 290 03 28608 83 Cu est with Unity1826 3677 00 306 62 23279 40 Cu est with Unity amp Poldice East1827 3359 00 280 59 21674 78 Cu est with Poldice East amp Unity Excludes fluorspar1828 3687 00 295 83 23145 80 Cu est with Poldice East amp Unity1829 4213 00 329 39 24933 58 Cu est with Unity Excludes fluorspar1830 3383 00 275 65 19656 68 With Unity Excludes fluorspar1831 2563 00 209 63 14169 13 With Unity Excludes fluorspar1832 1755 00 146 14 10680 60 With Unity1833 1403 00 117 26 9449 13 1834 999 00 80 98 6165 03 Cu est with Unity1835 669 00 56 54 4217 10 Cu partly est with Unity1836 762 00 52 77 4699 68 1837 785 00 61 70 4578 43 1838 910 00 73 40 5560 83 Fluorspar excluded1839 864 00 80 85 6015 15 Fluorspar excluded1840 1238 00 113 03 9101 60 1841 2298 00 189 15 17200 90 1842 2809 00 220 18 17121 13 1843 3088 00 226 84 16665 45 1844 2928 00 206 59 14701 45 1848 944 00 81 47 4859 55 From Mineral Statistics1867 46 00 2 47 167 90 From HJ 7 7Tin Production 1867 1930 Year s Black Tons Stuff Tons Value 1867 41 90 1 976 901868 112 80 5 563 401869 157 00 10 378 301870 275 50 19 591 101871 307 50 23 352 601872 212 70 17 608 001873 176 20 13 651 601874 20 60 1 111 901875 24 00 15 90 1 309 001876 3 10 17 80 235 601877 4 80 7 60 198 301878 6 30 201 501879 100 00 126 001888 1889 no details 1890 2 40 5 117 00 1 690 001891 3 00 3 367 00 710 001892 66 00 77 001898 42 00 17 001899 74 00 44 001900 no details 1905 no details 1906 511 00 416 001907 512 00 343 001908 695 00 461 001909 411 00 329 001910 381 00 53 001912 223 00 409 001913 933 00 675 001914 211 001915 445 001916 no detailed return 1917 6 00 442 001917 1921 no details 1918 0 05 12 001928 1930 no details Arsenic Production 1867 1918 Year s Ore Tons Value 1867 38 90 87 401870 50 00 105 601872 105 00 200 001873 68 00 264 101889 8 00 42 001890 12 00 71 001891 7 00 47 001893 7 00 80 001895 11 00 94 001896 3 00 44 001918 no detailed return Employment 1878 1930 Year s Total Overground Underground1878 9 6 31879 7 4 31888 41 20 211889 28 21 71890 47 29 181891 5 1 41892 3 31893 4 41894 2 21895 9 9 1896 11 11 1898 1900 4 41905 7 7 1906 8 8 1908 16 16 1909 7 7 1910 11 11 1911 12 8 41912 15 13 21913 16 14 21917 9 9 1918 72 72 1919 147 145 21919 147 145 21920 125 123 21928 6 61929 58 58 1930 6 6 See also edit nbsp Cornwall portalConsolidated Mines Devon Great Consols Wheal Vor Wheal Jane Mining in Cornwall and Devon Portreath TramroadReferences edit a b c The Mines of Gwennap Poldice Mine Cornwall in Focus Archived from the original on 28 January 2010 Retrieved 29 July 2009 Occasional Notes The Cornishman No 491 1 December 1887 p 4 Hancock Peter 2008 The Mining Heritage of Cornwall and West Devon Wellington Somerset Halsgrove pp 64 65 ISBN 978 1 84114 753 6 Great County Adit Cornwall Cornwall Calling Retrieved 29 July 2009 Barton 1966 p 41 a b Barton 1966 p 102 Barton 1966 pp 65 66 Barton 1966 p 71 Poldice Mine arsenic works The Trevithick Society Archived from the original on 9 August 2009 Retrieved 30 July 2009 Burt Roger Burnley Ray Gill Michael Neill Alasdair 2014 Mining in Cornwall and Devon Mines and Men University of Exeter Press ISBN 978 0 85989 889 8 Poldice Valley Bob Acton Landfall Publications 1990 Sources editBarton D B 1966 The Cornish Beam Engine New ed Truro D Bradford Barton Ltd Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Poldice mine amp oldid 1197580033, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
