whitelackington
New member
There is such terrific demand for natural resouces that Cornish tin Mines may start to re-open
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7074562.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7074562.stm
Cornish Tin Mines
- Thread starter whitelackington
- Start date
whitelackington
New member
When South Crofty,
recently closed, it was the last working tin mine in Europe.
recently closed, it was the last working tin mine in Europe.
Hatstand
New member
If you bother to read South Crofty's website http://www.southcrofty.co.uk/index.html then you'll see that they have been fighting for a good long while to re-open the mine and that the price of tin has been the least of their problems 
Hatstand said:If you bother to read South Crofty's website http://www.southcrofty.co.uk/index.html then you'll see that they have been fighting for a good long while to re-open the mine and that the price of tin has been the least of their problems
I'm sure that you're right. I was objecting to Whitelackington's typical sweeping generalisation from a very specific new item.
whitelackington
New member
I say what I meansusie said:
and I mean what I say
gus horsley
New member
The emphasis is on "may reopen" as there is a continuing and highly acrimonious court battle with the RDA who want the site for purposes other than mining (new leisure complex, starter homes, etc). Baseresult are reorganising the company but, considering that attempts to reopen South Crofty since immediately after its closure have been fruitless, it's best to not hold your breath over it. There are reserves available but the longer this drags on the more costly it gets and baseresult may yet throw in the towel.
Bob Smith
Member
Old news I'm afraid, I've been watching this with a personal interest for the past 9 years, and there are more than a few hurdles to pass even if the RDA concede. De-watering will be a nightmare, most of the stopes were drawn down making ore bodies inaccessible (or at least very hard to work) and processing will be a pain as well ( nobody would want a tin smelter near them) Would love to see it open again tho.
gus horsley
New member
I agree with Bob on the availability of reserves. The plant and headgear is in various stages of disintegration and will probably soon be dismantled. If it reopens they could try processing the ore at Wheal jane and smelting it in Malaysia (which is where it was smelted during the 1970s).
AndyF
New member
I watched some "suit" from the RDA prattling on about "what we are about is technology parks and social housing blah blah"
Soon the entire countryside will be full of little technology parks full of web designers and pottery studios.... he didnt seem to have much grasp of "oversupply". A mine supports local engineering, transport, fabrication etc. etc and secondary industry in a way that yet another "tech park" does not.
...and you dont need social housing if your town has full employment....
Soon the entire countryside will be full of little technology parks full of web designers and pottery studios.... he didnt seem to have much grasp of "oversupply". A mine supports local engineering, transport, fabrication etc. etc and secondary industry in a way that yet another "tech park" does not.
...and you dont need social housing if your town has full employment....
Hughie
Active member
AndyF said:
A good portion of the RDA's dosh comes from the Single Farm Payment (or subsidy if one prefers) in the form of modulation (originally 5% but rising to 17%).
AndyF is right - it's suits playing around with stuff they perhaps don't fully understand.
http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/what-we-do/business-growth/finance/index.shtm
Have to say that some of the stuff offer is useful. Although, as a contributor, I would much rather see South Crofty up and running again.
whitelackington
New member
It would be good for our country, good for the local community,
good for youth.
Good all round in fact
good for youth.
Good all round in fact
gus horsley
New member
The RDA should really leave well alone, if only for the fact that there are potentially a few dozen unlocated shafts on the site (there's about 30 under the Pool Market car park just up the road).
whitelackington
New member
Utterly agree hatstand.
Why has all industry been smashed by sucsessive governments,
why are they so against it.
We can't all be
double glazing / mortguage / loan agents :-\
Why has all industry been smashed by sucsessive governments,
why are they so against it.
We can't all be
double glazing / mortguage / loan agents :-\
gus horsley
New member
Hughie said:Quite agree - the RDA should actually be supporting this plan to re-open the mine.Hatstand said:Its just depressing that anything remotely industrial in this country is sneered at so readily...
I can't see the RDA ever supporting the mine. They only exist in order to tap into whatever public funding happens to be available at the time. I thought the housing was supposed to be starter homes but I've since found out it's going to be for executive housing, although why anyone would want to live in that particular location is beyond me. It's a right dump (geddit?)
D
Downer
Guest
The EU RoHS directive came into force in, I think, 2003 and was implemented in the UK last year. It had been under discussion before that of course. I don't know when phasing out of lead in solder was mooted but it must have been somewhere around 2001. From that moment it was obvious there would be a sudden increase in demand for tin in Europe. It is hardly surprising that tin prices have trebled. I am surprised that South Crofty - and Weal Jane come to that - were not resuscitated several years ago. Terrible waste of resources letting them go in the first place.
cap n chris
Well-known member
whitelackington said:
S'not just industry; s'land and development in general; surely they've just been pandering to the unthinking BANANA/NIMBY brigade resulting in stiflingly draconian planning departments apparently vetoing everything progressive, resulting in only DINKYs and LOMBARDs being able to purchase land/property.