Hi,

I'm new to the forum, am based on south coast mid Cornwall, and study at Plymouth university.

1) I am a keen climber and looking at the images here would love to join a local group and do some trips inside the mines with my camera (some of the images are just awesome!) - and -

2) I have a field trip to the Camborne/Redruth/Pool area to look at legacy of mining on Red river - I am researching the mine drainage and run off over spoil heaps................I am part way in and have done alot of research however I seem to be missing a defined map of where adits are, and don't as yet understand how often these adits flood/produce contamination that will flow to the river (it is suggested you see by the amount of rainfall that diffuse source inputs such as run off is of much greater effect, however if mines have a tendency to flood then the mining inputs could be much greater depending on frequency).

Analytical research will be done on metals found in the water, and I would be very interested to know if the skills set of my team would be able to manage to get samples from inside and also from the exit points of the adits.

Thank you and please feel free to ask/say/tell/advise as you see fit! 🙂

Personally, I'd join the Plymouth Caving Group, as they are a bunch of good people and do all the trips above board, with permission and a fair few of them have some serious expertise.

There are several groups of people poking around at various times, but they meet inconsistently and often are doing stuff very unsuitable for novices! I gathered the other day that one of the chaps did a 220ft shaft as his first drop. Nuts.

There are also some experts doing exactly what you are "Ferret" on here is Mr Environmental Mining Chemistry and a few more of them do it professionally.

I don't mind having some hangers on when we do something local and suitable....

As for the adits, you need a set of the Hamilton Jenkin maps, which you can either precure from someone who has one, or buy a set from teh interwebz.

http://www.cornwalldevonmineralspecimens.co.uk/shop/customer/home.php?cat=45 

As you can see, they are rather pricey. But the information contained is the key to utterly awesome trips.

Dunno if it helps but did a small bit of research in the 90's for my LRSC looking at As, Cu and Sn in plants and soil in mining areas.
As well as the issue of soluble salts and suspended insoluble salts, I suspect, as well as adit discharges into rivers, heavy storms could cause flocculated material to re-suspend into the river. The red river banks contain high levels of Alum flocculated material in places - presumably added by mining companies in the past to reduce suspended solids ie. stop the red river from being red.
However I was mainly concerned with soil / river banks rather than water quality. I did my sampling mainly around the red river as it approached Godrevy / Gwithian.
Have you checked published research by the School of Mines?
D. (ex Plymouth uni student)

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thank you both for your replies, and your offers...
I would love l have a look at the research you did, Dolcoathguy,
am thinking i should buy those maps stuey,
and would love to hear when you go out on a suitable trip (i can climb/abseil half decently, presumably that helps?!). . . .
i'm just reading about tailings ponds (and am just trying to do the draft project plan including research sites), can be quie hard to understand when i can't visualise it all working (the mine and its design and processes)

Regarding locations of adits, you can go through all the mine plans at Cornwall Records Office or go through Dines which might give you half the answer, but the best bet is to go to South Crofty. They showed me a few years ago plans just showing all the adit level workings. Whether they would now let you have access to these is another question however, but if its for genuine academic research you could be in luck. It is possible there may be a copy in the abandonment plans at the
Records Office. If you want any more help let me know (I am in Plymouth & often in the University).