Levant Mine and Beam Engine

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). 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.

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

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 2.5km from the cliffs under the sea. The surviving beam engine was built c.1840 by Harvey's of Hayle.

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.

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, 45 inches (1,100mm) cylinder – pumps water from the mine
2. stamping, 30 inches (760mm) cylinder – breaks up the ore
3. winding-engine or whim, 26 inches (660mm) cylinder – raises the ore to the surface
4. man-engine, 24 inches (610mm) cylinder
5. crushing-machine, 18 inches (460mm) cylinder
6. winding-engine, 14 inches (360mm) cylinder.

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 92°F (33°C). 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. The width of the levels are 7 feet (2.1m) high and 3–4 feet (0.91–1.22m) wide, while the width of the lode is from 6 inches (150mm) to 3 feet (0.91m) 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 20 inches (510mm) deep, taking about two hours and the hole is charged with gunpowder. Premature ignition causes many injuries and fatalities. A 14 inches (360mm) cylinder engine raised the ore to the surface in skips on two parallel inclines, one ascending as the other was lowered.

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 12 feet (3.7m) 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.

Minerals and ores

• silver
• bismuth
• calcspar
• aragonite
• vitreous copper ore or grey sulphuret of copper

Mineral Statistics

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

See also

• Man engine for an account of the accident in the mine on 20 October 1919.
• Geevor Tin Mine, just to the northeast of the Levant complex.
• South Crofty
• Wheal Jane
• Consolidated Mines
• Devon Great Consols
• Botallack Mine also known as Crown Mine

External links

• Historic England. . National Heritage List for England.