Field trips led by Camborne School of Mines

Experts from Camborne School of Mines will lead field trips exploring aspects of Cornwall’s mineral mining history and current mining aspirations, including rare opportunities to visit disused mine workings and to learn about state-of-the-art technologies of extraction.

Field Trip 1: South Crofty, Heartlands and the Camborne School of Mines Test Mine

The morning excursion will start, weather permitting, with a visit to the summit of Carn Brea for an overview of the surface expression of historical minerals extraction between Redruth and Camborne. The field trip will then visit the surface workings at South Crofty Mine, the last Cornish mine to cease tin production in 1998, currently the focus of a multi-million pound exploration programme to determine the economic feasibility of extracting a range of metals. Here the project team will outline their aspirations – how developments in Cornwall relate to the globalised nature of mineral extraction and what the return of metal mining to Cornwall might mean.

The group will then visit the immediately adjacent and newly-opened Heartlands ‘Cultural Playground’ – one of the gateways to the World Heritage Site. After a pasty picnic the field trip will visit the underground workings of the Camborne School of Mines Test Mine near Camborne, to see examples of mineralisation and to experience first-hand the methods required to extract ore by drilling and blasting.

Notes: This field trip is limited to 20 participants. It does not involve climbing ladders, but outdoor clothes plus walking boots or wellies are required.  Temperatures will be cooler and it will be muddy underground at the Test Mine.

Further details to be announced

Field Trip 2: Great Condurrow Mine, King Edward Mine and the extraction labs at Camborne School of Mines.

The morning excursion offers an opportunity to experience the upper levels of an eighteenth-century tin/copper mine and to consider the historical challenges and technologies associated with the extraction of ore containing these metals. On return to surface the field trip will briefly call at King Edward Mine to find out how ore was treated to separate minerals of economic interest. Following a pub lunch the group will visit Camborne School of Mines at the University of Exeter Cornwall Campus near Penryn and see state-of-the-art technologies applied to the characterisation and extraction of ores.

Notes: This field trip is limited to 20 participants who must be capable of descending/ascending 30+ metres of laddered sections. Outdoor clothes plus walking boots/wellies required for the mine visit. Temperatures will be cooler and it will be muddy underground.

Further details to be announced