The Society, in partnership with the Trevithick Society and the King Edward Mine Preservation Group, formed King Edward Mine Ltd., which has continued to open and run the working museum located at the former Camborne School of Mines training Mine at King Edward Mine, Troon
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Welcome to |
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KING EDWARD MINE
MUSEUM
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Contact phone number Camborne.. 01209.. 614681 |
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Open most Sundays 9-12 throughout the year
Opening Times 10.00am -5.00pm last entry 4.00pm Saturday 31st March April Sun-Wed-Thurs-Sat
May Sun-Wed-Thur-Sat
June Sun-Wed-Thur-Sat
July Sun-Mon-Wed-Thur-Fri-Sat
Aug Sun-Mon-Tues-Wed-Thur-Fri-Sat
Sept Sun-Mon-Wed-Thur-Sat
King Edward is typical of many small Cornish mines of the first decade of the 20th Century. Remarkably it has survived almost intact and today is the oldest complete mine site in Cornwall. All of the buildings are Listed Grade 2 star which means that they are considered to be of national importance.
King Edward Mine Museum is 1½ mile from Camborne Station
National Grid Reference 6645 3890.
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Visit the museum, located in the old mill engine room.
Find out how the mine developed and worked
Watch the film of the plant working
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Learn something about the social history.
Take the guided tour through the restored tin processing plant where items of machinery can be seen working.
See some of the on-going restoration projects
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The Mineral Tramways Great Flat Lode Trail passes through the site and the Mineral Tramways exhibition can be seen in the old calciner.
The Great Flat Lode area behind Carn Brea is one of the key areas that contributed to Cornwall's successful bid for its mining landscape to be recognised as a World Heritage Site. Visit the museum and then explore the local mining archaeology.
The site is operated by volunteers
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King Edward Mine.
King Edward Mine is at the eastern part of the South Condurrow Mine which was abandoned about 1890.
It was re-opened in 1897, and developed a fully operational/training mine, by the Camborne School of Mines.
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King Edward (as it was re-named in 1901) was completely re-equipped, both on surface and underground, with modern up-to-date machinery reflecting what was then considered the best Cornish practice. This was no toy mine, it was intended that the tin produced would cover most of the mining costs
The mine regularly produced tin up until World War 1 when operations were suspended. By 1920 it was back in production. This was short-lived for in 1921 the adjacent deeper Grenville Mine. The two mines were interconnected and the consequent flooding of Grenville also flooded the King Edward workings. Underground operations, on a much reduced scale, were transferred to a dry shallow section the Great Condurrow Mine to the north. The surface area of the mine was retained and used for teaching mining, ore dressing. and surveying. The remainder of the lecturing continued to be carried out at the main campus in Camborne
In 1974 the pilot plant and lecturing in mining, ore dressing, management, and surveying moved to the main School of Mines Building. The mill complex was no longer needed and it became a store..
LEFT... Mr Willie Uren demonstrating the vanning shovel. A small quantity of rock which have passed through the stamps and crushed to sand is placed on the shovel, water added and the shovel is rotated in a swirling action which move the lighter portion to the side to be removed from the shovel and eventually leaving the tin content on the shovel
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As of July 2005 the Holman winder has been assembled and repainted. Running on compressed air is now possible, but running on steam is for some time in the future. |
This twin drum winder was built by Holman's of Camborne in 1907 for King Edward Mine and was used up to1927. In 1942 the winder was moved to Castle-an-Dinas a wolfram mine on Goss Moor
After a absence of 60 years the winder is now back on its original foundation
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The winder can be seen running on compressed air on some of our special open days during the year. |
In 1987 a volunteer group was formed with the objective to conserve the site as an educational resource for the future
and to operate it in a manner that benefits the local community. Using rescued machinery the mill has been restored to working condition much as it would have been in the early years of the last century.
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LEFT
Some
of the volunteer
group at
K.E.M. |
RIGHT Checking
the stamps. |
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The Sulzer Engine is a 56 litre twin cylinder 2 stroke diesel and was manufactured in 1927 |
Ex Crofty Mine cage arrive and is positioned over the shaft at K.E.M......April 2007.
Fraser & Chambers Frue Ore Concentrator
Only the wood frame of the Frue Vanner existed but over the past 5 years parts have been remanufactured by the volunteer workers at K.E.M. along with help from local fabricators.
Financial help from local supporter was given to purchase the large belt. The vanner is now getting near completion.
A Holman Single cylinder Steam engine arrived a K.E.M. in 2007, It is thought it was probably manufactured about 1850 and used at The Holman Foundry Camborne to drive line shafting in the foundry.
After a suitable area was decided on at K.E.M. the engine was reassembled and it is hoped that it will soon be seen running on compressed air.
A selection of photos from K.E.M. Open Day 25th April 2010
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