Camborne School of Mines facts for kids
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| Motto | Laboris Gloria Ludi | ||||||||
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Motto in English
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The glory of work (and) play (figuratively) "work hard, play hard" | ||||||||
| Type | Public | ||||||||
| Established | 1888 | ||||||||
| Director | Professor Pat Foster | ||||||||
| Location |
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UK
50°10′16″N 5°07′35″W / 50.1711°N 5.1265°W |
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| Campus | Penryn Campus | ||||||||
| Patron | Queen Elizabeth II | ||||||||
| Colours | Gold, blue, silver
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The Camborne School of Mines (which is Scoll Balow Cambron in Cornish), often called CSM, is a famous school that started in 1888. It teaches students about the Earth's natural processes, its resources, and how to protect the environment.
CSM offers different study programs, from first degrees to advanced research degrees. These programs focus on Earth's resources, civil engineering, and environmental studies. The school is located at the Penryn Campus in Cornwall, UK. In 1993, CSM joined the University of Exeter. Its motto, Laboris Gloria Ludi, means "the glory of work and play," which is like saying "work hard, play hard!"
Contents
What CSM is Known For
The Camborne School of Mines is known all over the world. It's famous for teaching about mining, tunnelling, mineralogy (the study of minerals), geology (the study of Earth's structure), and geophysics (the physics of Earth).
CSM's excellent reputation began way back in the 1800s. When new mineral deposits were found around the world, CSM graduates were often the first to be hired. By the 1900s, you could find CSM graduates working in almost every major mining area, from Africa to Australia and the Americas.
Today, CSM keeps its strong connection to the global mining industry. This is thanks to its teaching, research, and a network of former students called the CSM Association.
Learning at CSM
CSM offers many exciting courses for students. As of 2023, you could study for a BEng degree in mining engineering. This is the only degree of its kind offered in the UK! You could also get a BSc degree in applied geology, or in engineering geology and geotechnics.
For students who want to study even more, CSM has postgraduate MSc degrees. These include applied geotechnics, minerals engineering, and mining geology.
In 2003, CSM joined a group called the Federation of European Mineral Programs (FEMP). This allows CSM students to study in other European countries.
Scholarships and Awards
The Camborne School of Mines Trust, along with companies and former students, helps CSM offer many scholarships each year. These scholarships help new students pay for their studies. They are usually given to students who have achieved great academic results.
Students who successfully complete their degrees at CSM can also earn special awards. These awards are given by the University of Exeter on behalf of the CSM Trust:
- Associateship of the Camborne School of Mines (ACSM) for BEng and BSc degrees.
- Master of the Camborne School of Mines (MCSM) for MSc, MEng, and PhD degrees.
The ACSM and MCSM are very special awards in the mining and Earth industries. The ACSM has been given to all qualified CSM graduates since 1910. Famous people like Sam E. Jonah, a successful mining executive, have received the ACSM.
Student Life
Students at CSM are part of a friendly community. This community is also part of the larger group of students at the Combined Universities in Cornwall. This includes students from Falmouth University and the University of Exeter Cornwall Campus.
The CSM student association plans fun social events and helps students with any problems. Sports are very popular at the school. CSM has sports teams that play in local leagues.
A very important event for CSM students is the annual Bottle Match. This is a big sports competition against the Royal School of Mines. The student association organizes this exciting event.
Each year, CSM students also take part in the International Mining Games. These games test skills related to mining. CSM hosted the games in 2012 and 2018 at King Edward Mine. This old mine was once used for teaching at CSM. The CSM teams train there and hope to host the games again in 2025.
The Camborne School of Mines Association connects all former students of the school. It was started in 1896 and has about 1,000 members.
Research at CSM
CSM is a globally recognized place for research. Scientists here study how the Earth's natural resources are formed, found, taken out, and used. They also look at how to clean up the environment afterwards. Much of this research involves working with companies around the world.
Research at CSM is organized into three main groups. These groups use the school's knowledge in mining, minerals engineering, geology, renewable energy, and environmental science. They also work with experts from the University of Exeter's Geography Department.
These research groups include professors, researchers, and students working on advanced degrees. Their work is supported by research councils, industries, and charities. They also have great technical staff and special labs to help with their research.
Facilities and Services
CSM has many useful facilities and services. These are available to students, staff, research partners, and even businesses. They offer short courses and training, like modules on renewable energy and courses for quarry blasting.
The school has amazing labs for studying chemicals and minerals. One special lab, worth £1.5 million, has many tools for preparing and analyzing samples. These include powerful optical microscopes, electron microscopes, and machines that identify minerals and elements.
For mining engineering, tunnelling, and surveying, CSM has outdoor testing areas. They also have advanced surveying equipment and special machines for testing how strong rocks are.
Field Station
In May 2017, CSM lost the use of its underground field station near Camborne. This was because the site was sold. This meant an end to important research on blast vibrations and underground mining. It also stopped the annual mining induction courses for students, which had been happening there since the 1960s.
Museum
CSM has a museum dedicated to geology from all over the world. It especially focuses on mining and minerals. The museum has a huge collection of minerals, including ones that glow under UV light, gemstones, and ore minerals. Many of these come from the south west of England.
This collection is a great resource for teaching geology throughout Cornwall. The school uses it a lot in its lessons. You can visit the displays in CSM's entrance hall for free, Monday to Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM. The museum also has old items related to the history of mining and CSM's part in it. This collection is made even better by the King Edward Mine Museum nearby.
Some of the museum's collections can also be seen online at the Camborne School of Mines Virtual Museum. This website is all about the geology of Cornwall.
History of CSM
The idea for a mining school in Cornwall goes back a long way.
Important Dates
- 1829: John Taylor first suggested a School of Mines in Cornwall.
- 1838: Sir Charles Lemon offered to start a school for miners.
- 1839: Classes for miners began in Truro.
- 1858: The Miners Association was formed, and they started classes in different mining towns in Cornwall.
- 1876: Gustavus Lambert Basset, a big mine owner, left money to build a lab in Camborne for students of The Miners Association.
- 1888: The Camborne School of Mining was officially created!
- 1897: King Edward Mine was leased. This gave students a real mine to practice in.
- 1902: The first ever Bottle Match was played between CSM and the Royal School of Mines (RSM).
- 1910: Other mining schools joined Camborne, forming the Camborne School of Metalliferous Mining.
- 1924: King Edward Mine was no longer used, and Great Condurrow Mine was leased instead.
- 1936: The special Associateship of the Camborne School of Mines (ACSM) award was introduced.
- 1975: CSM moved to the Trevenson Campus in Pool, Redruth, getting lots of new equipment.
- 1979: The original CSM building was taken down to build a supermarket.
- 1993: CSM merged with the University of Exeter.
- 2004: CSM moved to its current home at the Tremough Campus in Penryn. This new building was perfect for the 21st century, with lots of new equipment.
- 2020: The Mining Engineering degree program paused new student intake for the first time. CSM was the last place in the UK to offer this degree.
- 2023: Good news! The Mining Engineering degree program returned, offering new ways to study.
Leaders of CSM
Many important people have led CSM over the years, helping it grow and succeed. Here are some of the Principals and Directors:
- J. J. Beringer: 1888–1910 and 1912-1915
- G. A. Whitworth, OBE: 1946–1960
- P. Hackett, OBE: 1970–1994
- K. Atkinson: 1994–2002
- R. J. Pine: 2002–2008
- F. Wall: 2008–2014
- K. Jeffrey: 2015–2021
- P.J.Foster: 2022 - present
Famous Former Students
Many successful people have studied at CSM, including:
- James Howard Williams, known as Elephant Bill, a famous elephant trainer.
- Percy Sherwell, a well-known South African cricketer.
- Eric Roberts, an MI5 agent during World War II.
- Sam E. Jonah, a very successful CEO of a gold mining company.
- Arthur Wilson, an England rugby player and Olympian.
- Geoffrey Healey, an automotive engineer famous for the Austin-Healey cars.
See also
Images for kids
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Industrial heritage
