Joseph Carne facts for kids

Joseph Carne (born April 17, 1782 – died October 12, 1858) was a British geologist and businessman. He was known for his important studies of rocks and minerals in Cornwall, England.

Early Life and Discoveries

Joseph Carne was born in Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. His father, William Carne, was a banker. Joseph was educated at home and at a school near Bristol.

From a young age, Joseph loved mineralogy (the study of minerals) and geology (the study of Earth's rocks and history). He often visited local copper mines. There, he collected rare mineral samples from miners. This was the start of his amazing mineral collection.

In 1808, Joseph married Mary Thomas. They moved to Rivière House in Phillack. Joseph became the manager of the Cornish Copper Company's smelting works in Hayle. He was very good with numbers and business. Seven of their eight children were born there. Later, he returned to Penzance and became a partner in his father's bank.

Studying Rocks and Minerals

Joseph Carne was a very careful observer. He paid close attention to the rock formations around him. He studied the granite rocks of St Michael's Mount. He also looked at special rock formations called elvans. These are like veins of rock that cut through other rocks.

In 1816 and 1818, Joseph shared his findings with the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. He showed how elvans formed and when they appeared. He also wrote about the granite in western Cornwall. He even studied the Scilly Isles to understand their geology.

Uncovering Mineral Secrets

Joseph was very interested in how mineral veins formed. In 1818, he wrote a paper about the age of veins in Cornwall. His work helped fund William Jory Henwood's studies of mining areas. Because of his important research, Joseph was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1818. This is a very high honor for scientists.

In 1821, he published a paper about the minerals and geology of St. Just. This led to a large collection of Cornish minerals. Joseph left this collection to his daughter, Elizabeth Catherine Thomas Carne. She was also a famous geologist. Elizabeth added more specimens and created a private museum for the collection.

Today, the Carne Mineral Collection has 8,000 specimens. It was bought by Cambridge University in 1898. You can see it at the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences in Cambridge.

More Geological Discoveries

Joseph Carne also studied "pseudo-morphous minerals." These are minerals that change their form over time. He also looked at different types of tin ore. Tin was a very important metal in Cornwall.

In 1846, Joseph wrote about a "Submarine Forest" found in Mount's Bay. This was a forest that had sunk below the sea. In 1851, he wrote about a "Raised Beach" found in Zennor. A raised beach is an old beach that is now higher than sea level. These discoveries helped us understand how the Earth's surface changes.

Joseph also wrote about the history of copper mining. He studied how copper was processed. He even wrote about ancient coins found in the area. He also contributed to the Royal Statistical Society. He wrote about the tin mines in Cornwall and how much tin was used in Britain.

Joseph Carne was an honorary member of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. He was also the treasurer of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall for many years. People often asked him for advice about mining laws and local customs.

Later Life and Legacy

Joseph Carne was very involved in his community. He helped many Wesleyan chapels in West Cornwall. He also managed Sunday schools and provided books for teachers.

In 1820, he joined his father's banking business in Penzance. He passed away in Penzance on October 12, 1858.

His daughter, Elizabeth Catherine Thomas Carne, continued his work. She became a well-known geologist herself. After Joseph's death, she took care of his large mineral collection. She also took over his role as managing partner of the family bank.