18 C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 Ainsley Cocks Geevor Tin Mine: the hard rock legacy The creation of a museum and the consolidation of 19 mine buildings and other structures are the basis for telling the story of a century of tin mining in Cornwall. Geevor Mine at Pendeen, in the far west of Cornwall, is the largest preserved metalliferous mine site in the UK. Comprised of a wide variety of structures, buildings and machinery, Geevor retains almost all the components of a working tin mine and processing mill, whose development spans most of the 20th century. In the ownership of Cornwall County Council since 1991, the mine is open to visitors who come to experience the industrial legacy of hard-rock mining at the south-western tip of Britain. The origins of Geevor are found in the first decade of the 20th century, when the mine setts of North Levant,Wheal Carne andWheal Bal were restructured as Geevor Tin Mines Ltd. The mine’s fortunes, while waxing and waning over the coming years, were to continue on a generally upward curve. By the early 1980s the setts of both Levant and Botallack mines, to the immediate west of Geevor, were to be incorporated into the latter’s operations to extend its ore reserves. October 1985 saw an event which was to have profound implications for Geevor and ultimately for the future of metal mining in Cornwall. The global tin crisis, precipitated by the failure of the International Tin Council to maintain prices, caused a dramatic fall in the price of tin metal. This made deep lode mining uneconomic. Restructuring and altered working practices were introduced over the next few years to reduce overheads, but this was only to delay what was fast becoming clear; tin mining in Cornwall had become unsustainable at current prices. Closure finally came in 1991, ending a period of tin production inWest Penwith which is thought to have persisted for more than 3,000 years. This was not to be the end for Geevor. Throughout the 20th century the mine had gradually become the economic mainstay of local communities, as Geevor was the last mine to operate in the St Just district after 1930. Given the rarity of this type of site, Cornwall County Council took the bold step of securing funds to purchase the mine in late 1991, to preserve it for community use and for future generations. An intensive period of site investigation, access, safety and interpretation works followed in 1993 to prepare the site for opening to the public as a heritage attraction. Geevor’s collection of buildings and structures dates from an extended period of production. They vary considerably in form and construction. Granite and rubble-built structures from the 19th century stand alongside timber and steel-framed buildings from the late 20th century, each posing differing conservation challenges. In recent years it has become appreciated that many of these features, which had received little or no maintenance since the mine’s closure, had succumbed to the effects of the Atlantic winds and rain which frequently batter the site. Intervention was essential to secure these for the future and to enable the expansion of visitor facilities suitable for a 21st century heritage attraction. Left:The Top Fitting Shop being prepared for the Hard Rock Museum Right:TheVictory Shaft headframe and winder house at Geevor Mine. The headframe is a potent reminder of the importance of hard rock mining in the St Just district. Left: An aerial view of Geevor Mine (a scheduled monument and part of the Cornish MiningWorld Heritage Site) before consolidation (Ainsley Cocks, copyright Cornwall County Council) Right: Crowds gather at the opening in October 2008
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