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Mine exploration, photographs and mining history for mine explorers, industrial archaeologists, researchers and historians

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nameduser
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

12 years ago

Hello all,
Im a new member and my interests are in mine exploration and mineral collecting, specifically making a small collection of minerals from Cornish sources for my local school. I have no mine exploration experience, some climbing experience. Im 45 yo and live in North Cornwall. Im keen to meet others in cornwall who explore mines, so I can tag along and gain experience of mine exploration.

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tomh
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

Welcome to the forum.

Good luck with the getting someone to show a stranger where the minerals are :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

lozz
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

Hi there, there are plenty of mineral specimens to be found all over the county, most mine dumps will throw something up if you look carefully, you can play the I'm lost card or seek the owners permission, whichever. If you are not to familiar with past mining practices then be carefull where you tread.
You would think that all the old shafts and open stopes would have been made safe by now but they are definately not..

Good luck.

Lozz.

stuey
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

The mineralogy of cornwall and devon by collins is worth getting and reading if you are into your minerals. It tells you what is where.

As for poking around, Plymouth Caving Group, or Cornwall Mine Explorers club are ways to meet people and explore in a legal and above board manner. Both good sets of chaps-chapesses

nameduser
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

12 years ago

reading some of the comments made elsewhere I seem to see that mine explorers arent universally welcomed.
Could it be this is an extention of the privacy thing? (Get orf my land!) Or is it something to do with keeping whats in a mine secret? If in a ficticious world based on our own, a rich deposit of a mineral is found. Would then a land owner be able to prevent mining under their property? That might be the reason for the obstructive attitude. I dont know.

Secondly thank you for the advice, my interest in minerals is to collect a small range of minerals which can be shown to and examined by the children at school, to see and physically touch the stuff in the ground beneath their feet.
Especially as children are not likely to be able to visit the sites where the minerals are found naturally - underground.

I will look for a copy of that book Stuey. Thanks again.

Roy Morton
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

Try this link and click on the PDF tab to download

http://openlibrary.org/works/OL1553297W/A_handbook_to_the_mineralogy_of_Cornwall_and_Devon

🙂

"You Chinese think of everything!"
"But I''m not Chinese!"
"Then you must have forgotten something!"

tomh
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

A good place to find various minerals are on the spoil heaps, you should easily be able to find some quartz, pyrites, various minerals/rocks with some pretty blue/green secondary deposits of copper staining and various other interesting looking pieces of no real value. Should certainly interest the children. As for 'the good stuff' you really need to know what your looking for and be prepared to go underground, I have looked at loads of places without success, I have probably walked right past the stuff!

Wormster
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

Just a quick caveat:

Some folk can get quite heated about "mineral collectors"* going underground and collecting samples for display.

I think you will find this is why in certain areas mine explorers are "discouraged" from venturing underground.

Personally I think it is far better to spend one's time fossicking over the tailings pile - you can find what you are looking for on the surface, with out damaging in situ examples underground.

*"mineral collectors" have in the past damaged some beautiful specimins and/or removed/damaged valuable in situ artefacts.

(Just playing devils advocate here, I'm not saying "Don't do it" - just be aware of the repucussions of your actions, some places have been sealed off to mine explorers, because the "mineral collectors" got there first - plus there is also the legal aspect of removing samples without the landownder/title holder's permission.)

Better to regret something you have done - than to regret something you have not done.

nameduser
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

12 years ago

ok, so best practice for finding mineral samples is to surface scour for them - accepted and understood. That suggests of course that any minerals found underground whilst exploring are to be treated as sacrosanct? So leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but photos, is a good philosophy when underground then?

Thanks again for your advice and the benefit of your experiences.

BoB

Wormster
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#10

"nameduser" wrote:
That suggests of course that any minerals found underground whilst exploring are to be treated as sacrosanct? So leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but photos, is a good philosophy when underground then?

That has hit the very large nail on the head with an exceedingly big hammer Sir :thumbsup:

However, as others have said there are some friendly people in your area who I'm sure would be delighted to show you the pleasures of the underground world - please don't be put off.

We like to see the minerals and aretefacts intact in in context.

Better to regret something you have done - than to regret something you have not done.

NewStuff
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#11

I suspect My input to a thread on ME is being referenced, but as You seem to have a good handle on what is acceptable, all seems good. Inthink everyone has picked up a shiny off a tip or pile at some point, which is fine. It's when people start hacking stuff out of walls with no regard to others that I get narked off.

Searching for the ever elusive Underground Titty Bar.

DDDWH CC