Levant Mine and Beam Engine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Levant Mine & Beam Engine)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Template:Use British English Script error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Levant Mine and Beam Engine is a National Trust property at Trewellard, Pendeen, near St Just, Cornwall, England, UK. Its main attraction is that it has the world's oldest Cornish steam winding engine still working in its original location (and the last such engine still in steam in Cornwall).[1] There is also a visitor centre, a short underground tour, and the South West Coast Path leads to Botallack Mine, via a cliff-top footpath.[2]

In 1919 the engine used to transport men between the different levels of the mine failed, leading to the deaths of thirty-one men. Since 2006, the area has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape.

Location

File:Levant Mine 1.jpg
Levant Mine
File:Levant Mine 2.jpg
Looking up at Levant Mine
File:Levant Mine 3.jpg
Levant Mine Landscape
File:Levant Mine 4.jpg
Levant Mine Cornwall
File:Lelant Engine.jpg

The property is on the site of the former Levant Mine, established in 1820 and closed in 1930, where tin and copper ores were raised. The mine reached a depth of about 600 metres. It got the nickname "mine under the sea", because tunnels were driven up to 2.5 km from the cliffs under the sea. The surviving beam engine was built c. 1840Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". by Harvey's of Hayle.[3]

File:Levant-Mine Gebaeude en.jpg
Overview sketch of the buildings and ruins of the Levant Mine (buildings and ruins still existing shown in red)

History

The mine yields both copper and tin and was opened in 1820 with twenty shares of £20 each. From first opening, to circa 1883, the mine gave a profit of £171,000 from approximately £1,300,000 worth of ore. In 1882 the mine was taken over by new owners on a 21 year lease, who replaced machinery and improved the surface-works.[4]

In 1883 three shafts were open. One shaft is occupied by the man-engine, a second by a pumping-engine and the third for hauling out the skips. Since the introductions of skips, for bringing ore to the surface, two shafts were abandoned. There were six engines on site,

  1. pumping-engine, Script error: No such module "convert". cylinder – pumps water from the mine
  2. stamping, Script error: No such module "convert". cylinder – breaks up the ore
  3. winding-engine or whim, Script error: No such module "convert". cylinder – raises the ore to the surface
  4. man-engine, Script error: No such module "convert". cylinder
  5. crushing-machine, Script error: No such module "convert". cylinder
  6. winding-engine, Script error: No such module "convert". cylinder.[5]

A description of the working conditions of the mine was described in The Cornishman newspaper in 1883. Around 366 men, boys, and girls were employed compared with about 600 prior to 1882. The mine was worked in three, eight-hour shifts, (except on Sunday) with fifty to sixty men working underground in each shift. Access to the underground levels (i.e. passages) was by ladder and the temperature was around Script error: No such module "convert".. The men were all more or less working in a nude state and sweating profusely. They were provided with spring water which was stored in huge canteens. Few are able to work underground after the age of 35.[4][6] The width of the levels are Script error: No such module "convert". high and Script error: No such module "convert". wide, while the width of the lode is from Script error: No such module "convert". to Script error: No such module "convert". wide. Thus a quantity of hard rock on each side of the lode has to be cut away at great expense. The levels are expanded by explosives. First a hole is made by hand-drill Script error: No such module "convert". deep, taking about two hours and the hole is charged with gunpowder. Premature ignition causes many injuries and fatalities. A Script error: No such module "convert". cylinder engine raised the ore to the surface in skips on two parallel inclines, one ascending as the other was lowered.[6]

1919 disaster

On 20 October 1919 an accident killed 31 miners, when a metal bracket at the top of a rod broke on the man engine. To use the man engine, the miners stepped on to a ladder, were transported Script error: No such module "convert". up or down, climbed off onto a sollar, waited for the ladder to reset its position, then stepped back on to the ladder, repeating the process. The rod broke in several pieces and heavy timbers crashed down the shaft. A large scale rescue operation was able to save some of the miners. The engine was not replaced and the lower levels of the mine were abandoned.[7]

Minerals and ores

Mineral Statistics

From Robert Hunt's Mineral Statistics of the United Kingdom[8].

Copper Production (1845-1927)
Year(s) Ore (Tons) Metal (Tons) Value (£)
1845 1,088.00 106.60 7,154.90
1846 1,293.00 130.30 8,199.90
1847 851.00 98.80 6,849.10
1848 1,776.00 177.60 9,857.20
1849 1,904.00 170.90 10,972.70
1850 2,668.00 217.10 14,156.80
1851 1,539.00 118.10 7,350.30
1852 1,333.00 101.60 7,993.20
1853 1,627.00 91.30 8,141.30
1854 1,589.00 87.70 8,201.20
1855 1,578.00 94.90 9,060.80
1856 1,641.00 94.00 7,859.40
1857 1,587.00 81.60 7,446.10
1858 1,473.00 96.80 8,267.30
1859 1,567.00 90.30 7,940.10
1860 957.00 57.20 5,126.00
1861 967.00 61.80 5,260.70
1862 1,069.00 71.30 5,508.10
1863 1,203.00 85.20 6,252.50
1864 839.00 53.60 4,235.70
1865 609.00 42.20 3,112.40
1866 349.00 25.60 1,543.10
1867 376.00 37.20 2,493.00
1868 380.00 34.70 2,278.20
1869 142.00 18.60 1,185.80
1870 100.00 16.20 1,029.90
1871 72.00 9.00 572.50
1873 74.00 8.00 518.90
1874 61.00 12.50 912.60
1875 123.00 18.40 1,411.80
1876 338.00 41.60 2,767.30
1877 419.80 52.40 2,897.10
1878 741.10 100.70 5,386.40
1879 385.60 45.20 2,312.10
1880 519.00 70.30 3,990.70
1881 1,002.40 123.90 6,949.60
1882 1,173.00 117.30 7,800.00
1883 1,477.70 155.00 7,357.00
1884 1,637.00 .. 8,014.00
1885 1,364.00 .. 6,073.00
1886 634.00 .. 3,419.00
1887 727.00 .. 3,698.00
1888 1,209.00 .. 14,187.00
1889 1,505.00 .. 7,293.00
1890 1,979.00 .. 6,798.00
1891 2,189.00 .. 5,994.00
1892 1,719.00 .. 3,788.00
1893 1,230.00 .. 3,441.00
1894 1,882.00 .. 7,577.00
1895 4,333.00 .. 15,730.00
1896 4,897.00 .. 16,299.00
1897 3,455.00 .. 11,009.00
1898 2,981.00 .. 12,057.00
1899 3,627.00 .. 17,827.00
1900 5,064.00 .. 22,097.00
1901 3,550.00 .. 17,430.00
1902 3,056.00 .. 10,540.00
1903 3,381.00 .. 10,961.00
1904 2,884.00 .. 8,440.00
1905 3,387.00 .. 11,788.00
1906 2,140.00 .. 8,819.00
1907 1,962.00 .. 9,007.00
1908 807.00 .. 4,215.00
1909 1,202.00 .. 3,737.00
1910 683.00 .. 2,049.00
1911 900.00 .. 3,062.00
1912 510.00 .. 5,004.00
1913 383.00 .. 3,303.00
1914 403.00 .. 1,948.00
1915 164.00 .. 1,283.00
1916 125.00 .. 1,475.00
1916 155.00 .. 2,466.00
1917 125.00 .. 1,525.00
1917 146.00 .. 2,529.00
1918 41.00 .. 513.00
1918 54.00 .. 1,782.00
1922 96.00 .. ..
1923 4.90 .. ..
1924 13.00 .. ..
1925 9.00 .. ..
1926 9.00 .. ..
1927 4.60 .. .
Tin Production (1852-1970)
Year(s) Black (Tons) Stuff (Tons) Tin (Tons) Value (£)
1852 57.50 .. .. ..
1853 41.00 .. .. 2,861.50
1854 287.40 .. .. 19,540.00
1855 310.00 .. .. 20,099.70
1856 218.40 .. .. 15,659.80
1857 192.20 .. .. 15,161.90
1858 151.30 .. .. 9,587.20
1859 210.50 .. .. 15,479.50
1860 227.30 .. .. 18,138.60
1861 178.50 .. .. 13,404.10
1862 241.30 .. .. 15,906.60
1863 170.30 .. .. 11,178.30
1864 184.00 .. .. 11,920.80
1865 183.30 .. .. 9,913.90
1866 94.90 .. .. 9,657.70
1867 187.10 .. .. 9,916.90
1868 134.90 .. .. 7,434.00
1869 174.10 .. .. 12,073.30
1870 138.80 .. .. 9,914.10
1871 86.30 .. .. 6,368.80
1872 6.80 .. .. 456.60
1873 83.90 .. .. 6,154.80
1874 150.10 .. .. 8,024.20
1875 195.60 .. .. 9,592.90
1876 247.80 .. .. 10,518.00
1877 260.10 .. .. 10,569.50
1878 233.20 .. .. 8,323.60
1879 273.60 .. .. 10,944.00
1880 227.40 .. .. 11,452.50
1881 232.60 .. 158.50 12,603.60
1882 230.20 .. 196.70 13,475.00
1883 283.10 .. .. 14,984.00
1884 316.70 .. .. 14,498.00
1885 452.20 .. .. 21,664.00
1886 456.40 .. .. 25,244.00
1887 492.40 .. .. 30,598.00
1888 436.90 .. .. 28,182.00
1889 451.20 .. .. 24,769.00
1890 475.00 .. .. 26,730.00
1891 578.40 .. .. 31,436.00
1892 498.80 .. .. 27,265.00
1893 665.00 .. .. 33,775.00
1894 628.90 .. .. 26,109.00
1895 517.30 .. .. 19,630.00
1896 421.50 .. .. 16,201.00
1897 571.80 .. .. 23,162.00
1898 556.00 .. .. 24,428.00
1899 551.40 .. .. 38,940.00
1900 464.00 .. .. 37,852.00
1901 514.20 .. .. 37,075.00
1902 573.20 .. .. 43,726.00
1903 561.80 .. .. 43,925.00
1904 540.40 .. .. 43,005.00
1905 528.50 .. .. 46,450.00
1906 456.90 .. .. 49,031.00
1907 338.80 .. .. 37,044.00
1908 361.60 .. .. 28,670.00
1909 422.00 .. .. 33,857.00
1910 370.00 .. .. 33,490.00
1911 431.00 .. .. 49,035.00
1912 363.30 .. .. 46,593.00
1913 381.00 .. .. 45,583.00
1914 447.00 .. .. 36,912.00
1914 119.00 9,053.00 .. ..
1915 462.00 .. .. 40,854.00
1915 411.00 26,380.00 .. ..
1916 437.00 .. .. 44,374.00
1916 437.00 .. .. 46,298.00
1917 372.00 .. .. 48,142.00
1917 372.00 .. .. 48,500.00
1918 278.00 .. .. 53,828.00
1918 278.00 .. .. 55,171.00
1919 313.00 15,355.00 .. ..
1922 176.75 8,590.00 .. ..
1923 278.00 19,360.00 .. ..
1924 454.00 37,130.00 .. ..
1925 396.00 39,642.00 .. ..
1926 295.00 35,582.00 .. ..
1927 357.00 35,310.00 .. ..
1928 414.00 29,292.00 .. ..
1929-1931 no-details .. .. ..
1962 no-details .. .. ..
1966-1970 no-details .. .. ..
Arsenic Production (1881-1927)
Year(s) Ore (Tons) Value (£)
1881 20.00 50.00
1882 20.00 80.00
1883 11.30 43.00
1884 110.00 467.00
1885 207.80 861.00
1886 142.80 625.00
1887 144.00 773.00
1888 146.00 762.00
1889 173.00 935.00
1890 75.00 553.00
1891 186.00 1,267.00
1892 246.00 1,143.00
1893 189.00 1,083.00
1894 192.00 1,243.00
1895 216.00 1,299.00
1896 250.00 1,609.00
1897 231.00 2,019.00
1898 132.00 434.00
1899 200.00 912.00
1900 216.00 1,579.00
1904 105.00 368.00
1905 650.00 1,787.00
1906 234.00 2,267.00
1907 196.00 4,222.00
1908 106.00 512.00
1909 100.00 569.00
1910 99.00 586.00
1911 163.00 522.00
1912 168.80 563.00
1913 122.00 555.00
1914 58.00 213.00
1916 197.00 1,681.00
1916 202.00 1,162.00
1917 86.00 2,351.00
1917 86.00 2,786.00
1918 52.00 2,938.00
1918 52.00 3,184.00
1922 11.00 ..
1923 15.00 ..
1924 94.00 ..
1925 40.00 ..
1926 30.00 ..
1927 10.00 ..
Employment (1878-1931)
Year(s) Total Overground Underground
1878 294 102 192
1879 279 87 192
1880 299 94 205
1881 308 96 212
1882 326 105 221
1883 362 116 246
1884 358 114 244
1885 406 127 279
1886 430 134 296
1887 448 133 315
1888 505 150 355
1889 509 159 350
1890 513 159 354
1891 519 154 365
1892 489 157 332
1893 501 162 339
1894 562 179 383
1895 604 192 412
1896 602 201 401
1897 609 202 407
1898 607 198 409
1899 630 203 427
1900 692 213 479
1901 724 226 498
1902 710 201 509
1903 685 201 484
1904 679 200 479
1905 634 199 435
1906 547 188 359
1907 501 181 320
1908 523 171 352
1909 494 172 322
1910 457 165 292
1911 476 171 305
1912 474 172 302
1913 439 167 272
1914 410 164 246
1915 386 164 222
1916 377 161 216
1917 365 156 209
1918 312 136 176
1918 312 136 176
1919 331 144 187
1919 331 144 187
1920 326 150 176
1921 76 66 10
1922 118 67 51
1923 191 97 94
1924 232 105 127
1925 276 114 162
1926 257 108 149
1927 255 108 147
1928 192 99 93
1929 198 93 105
1930 158 75 83
1931 2 2 ..

See also

Script error: No such module "Portal".

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". (dead link 2 September 2019)
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

External links

Script error: No such module "Side box".

Retrieved from "http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Levant_Mine_and_Beam_Engine&oldid=2550188"