Consolidated Mines facts for kids
The Wheal Maid area of the mine
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| Location | |
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 Consolidated Mines
Location in Cornwall
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| Location | Gwennap |
| County | Cornwall |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 50°14′06″N 5°09′47″W / 50.235°N 5.163°W |
| Production | |
| Products | Primarily copper |
| History | |
| Opened | 1782 |
| Closed | 1857 (merged with United Downs in 1861) |
Consolidated Mines, often called Consols, was a very important mine in Cornwall, England. It was located about a mile southeast of St Day village. This mine was mainly active in the early 1800s.
Consols was famous for digging up a lot of copper. It was the biggest single producer of copper ore in all of Cornwall. Even though it always had problems with water underground, the mine made a lot of money at times. Today, this historic mine is part of a special place called the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.
Contents
What Did They Mine?
The main thing dug up at Consolidated Mines was copper. They also found smaller amounts of tin, arsenic, and zinc. The rocks around the mine were mostly a type called killas.
The mine had about eight main veins, or "lodes," where the valuable minerals were found. These veins were cut across by elvan dykes, which are like natural walls of rock. The most important vein was called Virgin Lode. Miners dug along this vein for over 1.3 miles (2.1 km)!
How Did the Mine Start?
People had been mining in this area for more than 400 years. But Consolidated Mines officially started in 1782. It was formed by joining several smaller mines together. These included Wheal Girl, West Wheal Virgin, Wheal Virgin, Wheal Maid, Wheal Fortune, and Carharrack mine.
Before they joined, all these mines had a huge problem: too much water underground. They used seven old Newcomen engines to pump the water out. But these engines struggled and cost too much to run. Because of this, all the mines had to close in 1779.
New Engines and Big Savings
When the mines merged, they ordered five new, more powerful Boulton and Watt engines. These new engines started working in 1782. They saved the mine almost £11,000 a year on coal! This was a huge saving.
The company that made the engines, Boulton & Watt, usually charged a fee based on how much fuel was saved. But the mine negotiated and paid a fixed fee of £2,500 each year. In 1784, Boulton and Watt also built the first steam-powered "whim" (a machine to lift things) in Cornwall at this mine. They even put an engine underground in 1788, which was very rare at the time.
Tough Times for Copper Mines
The late 1700s were hard for copper mines in Cornwall. A lot of cheap copper was coming from Parys Mountain in Anglesey, which made copper prices drop. In 1787, Consols lost about £8,000. Boulton and Watt even took a share in the mine to help keep it going. They also lowered their yearly fee to £1,000. At this time, Consols was one of only two mines in Cornwall that employed over a thousand people.
The Mine's Golden Age (1800s)
Around 1800, the copper from Parys Mountain ran out. This caused copper prices to go up again, reaching a high of £138 per ton in 1805. Many new mines opened, and old ones restarted.
However, Consols closed down around 1811 for some reason. It wasn't until 1819 that a mining expert named John Taylor raised money to restart it. He gathered about £65,000.
Powerful Pumping Engines
The mine quickly started making money again. But the underground water problem was still there. In 1820, a massive engine called "Job's Engine" was installed to pump water. It had a 90-inch-wide cylinder! Another engine of the same size was added the next year. These engines were designed by Arthur Woolf and built by the Neath Abbey Ironworks. They were known as the largest and most powerful steam engines in the world back then. By 1829, the mine needed three more engines to keep the water out.
Transporting Ore and Working Conditions
In 1824, John Taylor built the Redruth and Chasewater Railway. This railway helped transport the copper ore from Consols and other nearby mines to the port of Devoran.
By 1839, the mine employed 3,000 people! In 1838, records showed that 826 men and boys worked more than 100 fathoms (183 meters) underground. The average depth they worked at was 229 fathoms (419 meters).
Some of the lower parts of the mine were extremely hot. For example, the air temperature at 294 fathoms (538 meters) was 96°F (36°C), and in some spots, it reached 108°F (42°C). The water at the bottom of Davey's shaft was 92.5°F (33.6°C)! Miners would use this warm water to cool themselves down.
A Very Successful Mine
Consols was an incredibly productive copper mine during its active years. Between 1819 and 1858, it produced 442,493 tons of copper ore. This was the most from any single mine in Cornwall! The ore they sold brought in over £2 million. The mine was so famous that many other mines used "Consolidated" or "Consols" in their names, hoping to share in its success.
By the 1850s, the copper in western Cornwall was running out. Also, copper started coming from other countries like Chile. This led to many mines closing or merging to save money. Consolidated Mines stopped working in 1857. In 1861, it joined with United Mines and Wheal Clifford to form Clifford Amalgamated Mines. This new mine continued until 1870, but it didn't make much profit.
Consolidated Mines Today
Today, the site of Consolidated Mines is part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site. You can still see some of the mine shafts, which are covered with special pyramid-shaped wire caps called "Clwyd Caps" to keep people safe. These include Bawden's shaft, Michell's shaft, and Woolf's shaft. Woolf's shaft was sunk in 1826 and was one of the deepest in the area at 300 fathoms (549 meters).
There are also a few ruined buildings, a tall chimney, and two engine houses that are now just ruins. A clock tower still stands at the old site of Wheal Maid, which was part of the original Consolidated Mines.
Images for kids
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The Wheal Maid area of the mine
