Parish: CALSTOCK
Description below by ICLOK.
Acknowledgements: B.Atkinson, B.Acton/K.Brown, H.G.Dines, Barton.
This mine was started for copper and arsenic around 1880/1 under the name of the Cotehele Mining Company until it merged with Okel Tor in 1883 becoming known as Okel Tor and Cotehele Consols. In 1881/2 an engine house was built for second hand 40" rotatative engine intended to crush, draw and pump the old Danescombe Mine engine shaft down the valley. However the engine was used only for driving the copper crusher but was to soon become redundent after the Okel Tor merger when output from Cotehele was milled by the latter, the ore being taken their in barges. The engine was for sale in 1884.
There were 2 shafts, Engine 60F deep and New (Colloms). The mine worked a lode coursing E 35deg N underlying North and may be a continuation of the Calstock Consols lode.
Engine shaft in its days as Danescombe was pumped by a 30" x 6' engine from 1837 to 1842 but may have been worked earlier in 1821-8 as Wheal Calstock.
Recorded Output:
1880 to 1882 - 6T of 8.5% copper ore & 323T of arsenical pyrite. Later returns recorded with Okel Tor.
Today the crusher engine house and crusher house itself are preserved as is the smaller engine house on Danescombe engine shaft in a cut down form. There are various other features remaining in the valley including a level and buddles near the crusher.