Great Wheal Fortune facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
| Area of Search | Cornwall |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 50°06′50″N 5°19′11″W / 50.1140°N 5.3198°W |
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 0.55 hectares (0.006 km2; 0.002 sq mi) |
| Notification | 1991 |
Wheal Fortune, also known as Great Wheal Fortune, is an old mine site in Cornwall, England. It's located near the towns of Breage and Sithney. This place is very important for its geology. In 1991, part of the mine was named a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's a special place protected for its unique natural features. It's also recognized nationally for the amazing minerals found there.
History of the Mine
People might have been mining here a very long time ago. Records from 1508 mention a mine called Cog-an-bans. This old name might refer to the same spot. Miners back then followed thin lines of tin, called "veins," that were close to the surface. Some of these tiny tunnels are still there, even though they are overgrown. They were barely wide enough for a person to squeeze through!
The more modern mine started working in 1855. At first, it mainly produced copper until 1884. Then, it switched to tin until 1906. From 1860 to 1876, zinc was also dug up. For short periods, miners also found Arsenic and tungsten.
To keep the mine dry, a large pumping engine was used. It was 45 inches big! Later, an even bigger 70-inch engine took its place. This one was on a shaft called Harvey's Engine Shaft. By 1864, the mine was a busy place. About 457 people worked there, digging for valuable metals.
Miners worked on five main "lodes" at Wheal Fortune. A lode is like a big vein or a rich deposit of ore. The mine was called "Great" Wheal Fortune to tell it apart from about sixteen other mines with the same name!
One part of the mine, called the Carnmeal lode, was connected to another mine called Wheal Vor. This part went down very deep, about 150 fathoms (which is over 270 meters!). The main part of the mine, about 300 meters to the south, is thought to be very old. It's a huge open pit, sometimes called a "gunnis" or "coffin." A narrow ridge divides this big pit into two sections.
In 1868, the Carnmeal lode was no longer used. Five engines in the southern part of the mine were put up for sale. Even so, the mine kept going until 1912 under different companies. From 1908 to 1909, it was known as New Great Wheal Fortune. By 1907, only three people worked there. In the 1950s, a single miner reportedly worked the "burrows." These were piles of waste rock from the mine. He would collect two sacks of wolfram (a type of tungsten ore) every day and sell them in Camborne.
