West Phoenix Mine

Caitlin — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 20:53:51 +0000

Almost parallel with the famous Cheesering Quarry are the scant remains of a mine that are all too easy to walk past without being able to appreciate their rich history.

Bits and pieces are all that’s left of the 70″ pumping engine on Norris’ shaft.

Worked back into antiquity by the Old Men, the first documented mention of this mine was in 1513 under the name ‘Wethybrok Work’. This area was likely heavily tin streamed from this date up until the 1830’s when it became part of Great Cornwall United. Originally this mine had little in the way of depth, with work being done from shallow shafts with one main adit, men only going as deep as water would allow them.

The collared shaft of Withybrook/Vatcher’s.

In 1879 the mine was restarted around Norris’ shaft, but this was short lived. From 1886 it was again amalgamated with its neighbours to form Pheonix and West Phoenix United Mines in an attempt to work it for tin and copper, but this only lasted three years.
During the 1950’s, both the engine houses on Norris’ shaft were demolished as part of an army demolition exercise. The remains can still be seen today in piles of rubble.

Shafts

Lodes

Output

Shafts

Lodes

Output

All that’s left of the 24″ whim, featuring a ubiquitous Minions sheep.

The first engine installed on the mine was a 30″ pumping engine from Caradon Wheal Hopper in 1850. This worked primarily on Withybrook/Vatcher’s, but may have pumped from Polkinghorne’s via flatrods.

In 1879/80 the two engine houses on Norris’ shaft were built. One a 70″ pumping engine, third hand from Wheal Caroline then Florence Mine; the other a 24″ whim and stamping engine that worked 64 heads of stamps. The last prominent feature was a 53′ waterwheel that also had 16 heads of stamps.

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Phoenix United

Caitlin — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 13:35:59 +0000

Up on the moors is the famous Phoenix United mine with its striking square chimney. A forerunner in its day, little remains of this sett except the nineteenth century workings.

The mine was first formed in 1836 when the smaller Wheal Phoenix, South Phoenix, North Phoenix, West Sharp Tor, Clanacombe and Stowes mines were amalgamated as Cornwall Great United. This initial attempt didn’t last very long after they blew through their £50,000 capital.

A new lease was granted in 1842-3 under the name Phoenix United and a further £12,425 was spent on renovations. Unlike the previous inception, this time the mine proved to be profitable. As the mine continued to deepen, water became an issue, however the cost of installing new equipment was outweighed by the time left on the lease. Negotiations began to extend the lease, but they were unable to come to terms and the remainder of the contract was taken over by South Phoenix.

By 1864 only one long lode was being worked, however the copper was nearly exhausted. William West took over control and began the installation of tin mining equipment in the western section. During this period, the mine was reached by the Liskeard and Caradon railway.

In 1870 Stowe’s mine was absorbed into the sett once more and everything was renamed Phoenix and West Phoenix United, with a tramway linking to two sections. It was during this period that it became a major tin producer in Cornwall, bringing up between 22,000 to 34,000 tons or ore annually.

In 1886 it took over Wes Phoenix completely, working under the name Phoenix United once again. Another attempt was made on the eastern section, however lots of water needed to be moved before any work could begin. The next five years saw lots of financial problems as the price of tin began to fall. By 1898 the mine was abandoned and all of the machinery was put up for sale.

The turn of the twentieth century saw the mine bought by Australian company Cosmopolitan Proprietary Co. They quickly began the sinking a new shaft which was named after the Prince of Wales who officially opened it. However, despite the total revamp, it proved much less productive that anticipated and in 1914 was abandoned.

Pumping Engines

Whim Engines

Stamps Engines

Other Bits

Pumping Engines

Whim Engines

Stamps Engines

Other Bits

Records differ greatly, so here’s two variations.

Dines
1824-78
80,520 tons of 6¾% copper

1853-75
4,152 tons of black tin

1907-14
95 ton of black tin

Nance, Brown and Clarke
1848-89
80,092 tons of 7% copper

1853-96
16,360 tons black tin

1907-14
104 tons of black tin

Shafts

Lodes

Shafts

Lodes

Access

Parking

References

Access

Parking

References

The post Phoenix United appeared first on Explore Cornwall.

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West Phoenix Mine

Phoenix United