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Wheal Trenwith, St Ives, Cornwall, England, UKi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Wheal Trenwith | Mine (Built Over) |
| St Ives | Civil Parish |
| Cornwall | County |
| England | Constituent Country |
| UK | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
50° 12' 28'' North , 5° 29' 14'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
UK National Grid Reference:
SW512401
Type:
Mine (Built Over) - last checked 2019
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| St Ives | 9,966 (2017) | 0.1km |
| Uny Lelant | 1,056 (2017) | 4.3km |
| Hayle | 8,210 (2017) | 5.4km |
| Marazion | 1,294 (2017) | 9.2km |
| Madron | 626 (2017) | 10.0km |
Although both copper and tin ores were produced at Trenwith (13,080 tons of 11 per cent copper ore and 20 tons of black tin were raised between 1825-56), Trewith is, later, better known as uranium producer.
"Pitch-blende occurs in great abundance among the copper ores of Wheal Trenwith, and was long carefully collected, and thought to be black copper ore. The low prices obtained for the ores with which it was mixed, and the inferiority of the metal they yielded, equally disappointed the miner and the copper-smelter; until a specimen of the copper was examined by Mr. Michell of Calenick, and found mixed with uranium in a metallic state. The ores were then inspected, and pitch-blende being discovered among them, its nature and prejudice to the copper ores were explained to the workmen, by whom it has been, of course, since rejected. Was there ever an instance in which an acquaintance with Mineralogy and Chemistry would have been more useful ?" (Henwood, 1843).
After lying idle for more than 50 years the dumps were being worked for uranium ores in 1907. A newspaper report of the time is headlined "HEAP OF RUBBISH IS RICH IN RADIUM; Cornwall Mine from Which It Came to be Worked Again. BATHS MAY BE STARTED Medical Value of the Mineral Found in Pitchblende at St. Ives Is Now Recognized" (see New York Times archive below for the full article).
In 1908, Wheal Trenwith together with the adjacent St. Ives Consols and Rosewall Hill and Ransom United, and Giew Mine, 2 miles to the south, was taken over by St. Ives Consolidated Mines Ltd., which continued to rework the Trenwith dumps and the levels selectively above 60 fathoms. Between 1911-17, 694 tons of uranium ore were produced, mainly from dump material, although small, scattered, patches occurred underground in thin films in joints.
St. Ives Consolidated Mines were taken over by the Thermo Electric Corporation in 1917, the northern mines were abandoned, with work then concentrated on Giew Mine.
Much of the site is now a car park!
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
20 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ 'Amphibole Supergroup' Formula: AB2C5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2 |
| ⓘ Arsenopyrite Formula: FeAsS |
| ⓘ Bornite Formula: Cu5FeS4 |
| ⓘ Cassiterite Formula: SnO2 References: |
| ⓘ Chalcocite Formula: Cu2S References: |
| ⓘ Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 References: |
| ⓘ 'Chlorite Group' |
| ⓘ Cuprite Formula: Cu2O References: |
| ⓘ Erythrite Formula: Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O |
| ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS |
| ⓘ Goethite Formula: Fe3+O(OH) |
| ⓘ Hematite Formula: Fe2O3 |
| ⓘ 'Hornblende Root Name Group' Formula: ◻Ca2(Z2+4Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| ⓘ Molybdenite Formula: MoS2 |
| ⓘ Native Bismuth Formula: Bi |
| ⓘ Native Copper Formula: Cu |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 References: |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 References: |
| ⓘ Siderite Formula: FeCO3 |
| ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS |
| ⓘ Tenorite Formula: CuO References: |
| ⓘ Torbernite Formula: Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| ⓘ Uraninite Formula: UO2 References: |
| ⓘ Uraninite var. Pitchblende Formula: UO2 References: |
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Copper | 1.AA.05 | Cu |
| ⓘ | Native Bismuth | 1.CA.05 | Bi |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Chalcocite | 2.BA.05 | Cu2S |
| ⓘ | Bornite | 2.BA.15 | Cu5FeS4 |
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | Molybdenite | 2.EA.30 | MoS2 |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| ⓘ | Arsenopyrite | 2.EB.20 | FeAsS |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Goethite | 4.00. | Fe3+O(OH) |
| ⓘ | Cuprite | 4.AA.10 | Cu2O |
| ⓘ | Tenorite | 4.AB.10 | CuO |
| ⓘ | Hematite | 4.CB.05 | Fe2O3 |
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Cassiterite | 4.DB.05 | SnO2 |
| ⓘ | Uraninite var. Pitchblende | 4.DL.05 | UO2 |
| ⓘ | 4.DL.05 | UO2 | |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Siderite | 5.AB.05 | FeCO3 |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| ⓘ | Erythrite | 8.CE.40 | Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O |
| ⓘ | Torbernite | 8.EB.05 | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Amphibole Supergroup' | - | AB2C5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2 |
| ⓘ | 'Chlorite Group' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Hornblende Root Name Group' | - | ◻Ca2(Z2+4Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Amphibole Supergroup | AB2C5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2 |
| H | ⓘ Erythrite | Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O |
| H | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| H | ⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group | ◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Amphibole Supergroup | AB2C5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2 |
| O | ⓘ Cassiterite | SnO2 |
| O | ⓘ Cuprite | Cu2O |
| O | ⓘ Erythrite | Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O |
| O | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| O | ⓘ Uraninite var. Pitchblende | UO2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Tenorite | CuO |
| O | ⓘ Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| O | ⓘ Uraninite | UO2 |
| O | ⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group | ◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | ⓘ Amphibole Supergroup | AB2C5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2 |
| F | ⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group | ◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Amphibole Supergroup | AB2C5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group | ◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Amphibole Supergroup | AB2C5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group | ◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | ⓘ Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| S | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| S | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| S | ⓘ Molybdenite | MoS2 |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘ Amphibole Supergroup | AB2C5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2 |
| Cl | ⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group | ◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group | ◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Ti | Titanium | |
| Ti | ⓘ Amphibole Supergroup | AB2C5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| Fe | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| Fe | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| Fe | ⓘ Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| Co | Cobalt | |
| Co | ⓘ Erythrite | Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| Cu | ⓘ Cuprite | Cu2O |
| Cu | ⓘ Native Copper | Cu |
| Cu | ⓘ Tenorite | CuO |
| Cu | ⓘ Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| As | Arsenic | |
| As | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| As | ⓘ Erythrite | Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O |
| Mo | Molybdenum | |
| Mo | ⓘ Molybdenite | MoS2 |
| Sn | Tin | |
| Sn | ⓘ Cassiterite | SnO2 |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| Bi | Bismuth | |
| Bi | ⓘ Native Bismuth | Bi |
| U | Uranium | |
| U | ⓘ Uraninite var. Pitchblende | UO2 |
| U | ⓘ Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| U | ⓘ Uraninite | UO2 |
Geochronology
| Geologic Time | Rocks, Minerals and Events | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phanerozoic | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paleozoic | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Permian | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Guadalupian |
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| Cisuralian |
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Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
British and Irish IslesGroup of Islands
Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
- Rheno-Hercynian BeltOrogenic Belt
UK
- England
- Cornwall
- St Ives Mining DistrictMining District
- ⭔St Just Mining RegionRegion
- Devon and Cornwall metalliferous mining districtMining District
- Cornwall
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Wheal Trenwith, St Ives, Cornwall, England, UK