Mining in Devon and Cornwall
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| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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| Criteria | ii, iii, iv |
| Reference | 1215 |
| Inscription | 2006 (30th Session) |
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Mining in Cornwall and Devon in the south west of England began in the early Bronze Age, approximately 2150 BC, and ended with the closure of South Crofty tin mine in Cornwall in 1998. Tin and, later, copper were the most commonly extracted metals. Some tin mining continued long after the mining of other metals had become unprofitable.
Historically, tin and copper as well as a few other metals (e.g., arsenic, silver, and zinc) have been mined in Cornwall and Devon. As of 2007[update] there are no active mines remaining. However, tin deposits still exist in Cornwall, and there has been talk of reopening the South Crofty tin mine. In addition, work on re-opening the Hemerdon tungsten and tin mine in south-west Devon has begun. Geological studies were conducted owing to the economic importance of mines and quarries: about forty distinct minerals have been identified from type localities in Cornwall (e.g., endellionite from St Endellion). Quarrying of the igneous and metamorphic rocks has also been a significant industry. In the 20th century the extraction of kaolin was important economically.
The intrusion of granite into the surrounding sedimentary rocks gave rise to extensive metamorphism and mineralisation. As a result, Cornwall became one of the most important mining areas in Europe until the early 20th century. It is thought that tin ore (cassiterite) was mined in Cornwall as early as the Bronze Age. Over the years, many other metals (e.g., lead and zinc) have been mined in Cornwall. Alquifou (based, along with the word alcohol, on the Arabic word "al-kuhl") is a lead ore found in Cornwall, and used by potters to give pottery a green glaze.
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