I'm sure If this location was outside Western Europe, it would have been extensively mined. I am sure several mining companies are aware of the Uranium deposits here, but bearing in mind the problems when a clay tip was proposed near to St. Stephen, mining for radioactive ores (today) even closer to the village would probably create a national outcry, even if the level of radiation in the area did not increase.
Last time I looked Uranium was over $50,000 a tonne.

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From what I remember, the lode was pretty much mined out both in depth and lengthways. The dumps were worked and the crosscourse drilled at either end.

Dines has a lot to say about it and I'm trying to make head or tail about what is where and what remains. I haven't actually got a ruler out and started figuring where the bits are and it's probably easier to get in there than mucking about with plans and measurements.

What remains on surface is pretty limited in terms of access points. Engine shaft is full of water and the complex of shafts on the hill has been obliterated. I didn't have too much of a good poke around the settling tanks when I explored there, I have a feeling there may be an old level around somewhere.

6" extract, 1909.



Plan (Poached off the very good website aforementioned, which in turn was poached from the record office)



Plan reversed and bunged on skyshot.



From what I can tell, the shaft by the stack is a different animal to North Shaft and features on the 6" map.

North Shaft (New Adit shaft on the plan) was unclear where it was. It was also unclear if there was a portal in this area somewhere. I assume that New Adit shaft is capped, but dropped into the new adit level which was driven along the semi-stoped tin lode and then connecting with the old system at Jem Shaft. A bit of an arse end of a way of getting water out, hence me thinking there might be a portal around there. It didn't look like the place to go hacking around with a stick and making a big fuss about finding it.

Anyway, I'd like to have a proper look at some point.

Stuey
Pictures don' t appear when I look at this (boxes with red Xs).

With the probable increase in price of Uranium in the next few decades, it could be tempting target for further test drilling and surveying to see if any further lodes exist.
I presume the demand for Uranium when the mine was working was not as great as it is now (No Nuclear power plants), so less incentive to go deeper or search for new deposits.

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Pics work for me. They are remotely hosted.... I wonder if it's your browser settings? Or whether Simon has yet to "allow" them.

I think the lode (cross course) was looked for quite vigourously, but gave little in return. Quite a lot of fuss was made about other prospects, even small ones. They are all well documented.

I've also checked a few proxy sites (courtesy of the kids) and aditnow will not display the topic through one. You'll have to wait!

Images - Yes Works Computer has a block on Photobucket (Even if we want to look at mining stuff!). Will pick up on home computer later. Cheers.

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yeah we went up a short way into lower adit (GEM) with the plymouth uni lot and it was pretty clicky with the counter off the scale for beta, gamma and alpha's at the dumps in places too.

Stuey


With the probable increase in price of Uranium in the next few decades, it could be tempting target for further test drilling and surveying to see if any further lodes exist.
.

The grand old USA have vast stocks of highly enriched uranium in store from de-commissioned bombs.
There is sufficient there when diluted down to last a very long time.
The USA stock includes large quantities bought from the former soviet union countries for safe keeping.
The UK will also be holding some HEU in storage.
Along side this are even bigger stocks of plutonium.
I don't think that any enrichment is being done in America or the UK at the moment.
The HEU is just diluted as required.
:smartass:

Interesting the Beta and Gamma went off the scale as if my memory serves me right, they are minor products of the decay chain(s). If they went off the scale, you were dealing with some serious alpha! It went muchly off scale, I imagine!

it sure did!
i will see if i can ferret out the field data if its still kicking around 😉

Came across this pic in a Hammy Jenks book.
I particularly like the iron banded kibble.

🔗Personal-Album-342-Image-35338[linkphoto]Personal-Album-342-Image-35338[/linkphoto][/link]

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Colleague at work has obtained a 3 page article on the Terras mine and the mining of radium and uranium, written by Eric Hamilton with some interesting photos published in Cornwall ? Cornish World in June 2006.
The Author concludes that there is plenty of Uranium and radium still underground, although no evidence is given to support this. What is interesting is how workers handled the ore and processed it and there is an old interview with one of the last surviving miners who worked there.
Not sure if this article was written specifically for the magazine or if it was a published extract from another publication.

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The story of South Terras Mine is very interesting for me. I deal with the history of radioactivity in the Czech lands. Now I have found some materials concerning a common project of the Société nouvelle du radium at Gif in France et the Czech Ministry of Public Works form the late 1930s. I would appreciate any help to dismantle the connections between the Société industrielle du radium et the later Société nouvelle du Radium at Gif in France. Thanks for any help.

Dragging up an old thread just to add a link to my latest video of South Terras.

The place is still fascinating and hot as hell. Enjoy the video.

[youtube]zJIVSqsI7V0[/youtube]

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Superb video illustrating how modern technology can be used, I particularly like the use of the Cornish accent throughout ???---

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I particularly like the use of the Cornish accent throughout ???---

:lol: thats cos he's a Landaaan bloke!

Colleague at work has obtained a 3 page article on the Terras mine and the mining of radium and uranium, written by Eric Hamilton with some interesting photos published in Cornwall ? Cornish World in June 2006.
The Author concludes that there is plenty of Uranium and radium still underground, although no evidence is given to support this. What is interesting is how workers handled the ore and processed it and there is an old interview with one of the last surviving miners who worked there.
Not sure if this article was written specifically for the magazine or if it was a published extract from another publication.

Was this a 'glowing' report? 🙂

I have just uploaded a paper concerning radon levels in South Terras (and Kings Wood) that was published in the 2001 International Radon Symposium.

A few quotations from this paper which might be of interest to any future explorers:

"one of the highest levels recorded in Europe was noted, 3,932,920 Bq/m^3"

"visit lasted approximately 2 hours, exposure to the levels at South Terras mine would give an effective dose of approximately 62 mSv per visit. This is substantially over the 1 mSv maximum dose for a member of the public for a year."

"The health implications for casual users/explorers of such mines are shown to be considerable"

I know we live in a post-Govian world where expert opinion is to be ignored, but everyone, please take care.

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I dispute their findings and this was based on the use of my own decent kit (in calibration, etc). The first time I went in there, I wore BA. It was not that hot.

The daughters adhering to clothing was interesting and unexpected though.

Providing you're not intending to have kids I'm sure you'll be fine.

I was getting worried that someone might mention Carbis Bay beach on an open forum!

:lol:

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I have just uploaded a paper concerning radon levels in South Terras (and Kings Wood) that was published in the 2001 International Radon Symposium.

A few quotations from this paper which might be of interest to any future explorers:

"one of the highest levels recorded in Europe was noted, 3,932,920 Bq/m^3"

"visit lasted approximately 2 hours, exposure to the levels at South Terras mine would give an effective dose of approximately 62 mSv per visit. This is substantially over the 1 mSv maximum dose for a member of the public for a year."

"The health implications for casual users/explorers of such mines are shown to be considerable"

I know we live in a post-Govian world where expert opinion is to be ignored, but everyone, please take care.

Might I ask who published this paper?
I read one from about the same time and they also released a short video of them in the adit,floating their dog in on a surfboard. I seem to remember she was a Phd, although in what discipline I cant recall.
Readings were also taken in Tolgarrick and in Wheal Buller, at a shaft which she refused to disclose, but noted that there was purple fluorite on the walls. Fluorite fits with Buller, but there were no shafts open on the sett that went anywhere; all blocked.

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