South Crofty mine update

 Recent news is that Strongbow, the company behind the purchase of South Crofty tin mine, are commencing with trials into water treatment work. The last of the mines to close in Cornwall in the late 1990′s after the decline of the mining industry but still processing 200,000 tons of tin ore per year, the mine is thought to still hold a significant amount of reserves. The rise of tin prices has led to new work becoming a possibly again but changes in technology means this won’t be such a big deal for the towns the mine is situated in. This being the last mine to close, previous to its closure the mine purchased near the entirety of tin mines in the area, 26, which has resulted in a huge area of ground to be worked at a maximum depth of 3000ft, although the deflooding of the mine is estimated to take a couple of years. Metals that have been found are tungsten, uranium, zinc and minor traces of antimony, gold, lithium, rare earth metals, manganese, silver and molybdenite. Previously there has been unwanted attention at the mine from UNESCO as the mine is situated in the Cornish Mining World Heritage site. The fear brought foward was that mining at the mine could damage the mine. This matter appears to have been settled as the mine is to notify UNESCO of any work to be done. The complaint to UNESCO is thought to have been brought about by Government, in whose eyes the mine would be of better use if it was developed for housing, in much of it already has been after a Compulsary Purchase Order was issued by the local authority. The nearby Heartlands project is an example of what the area is to become.