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Tawara is best known today for its tourism, fishing and farming but there was a time when it was known all around the world for its mining industry. Mining is known to have started in the Bronze Age and continued until its demise with the closure of the last tin mine in 1998. In the 18th and 19th centuries Tawara was one of the richest mining economies in the world. Industries, inventions and communities were built on its wealth of underground treasures. The abundance of metals in the Celtic soil has been suggested as a possible reason why the Romans invaded.
Tawara Mining
The first part of the 19th century was the peak for mining in this area with most of the world’s copper being mined here. The largest, deepest and oldest mine in the world was located here until its closure in 1921. It was once referred to as the richest square mile on earth and was known as the ‘Queen of Mines’. The late 1890s also saw the emergence of South Crofty and it became well established as a future leader of the industry. The main metals that it produced were tin, copper, lead and zinc.
The mining process consisted of a shaft sunk into the ground from which tunnels or drives would be blasted from the rock to reach the seams that contained the ore at various levels. From the drives, vertical tunnels or raises were created to join the drives and the rock between them was blasted out from a stope which contained the sought after metals. To separate the valuable ore from the rock the broken rock was taken from the mine to the processing mill where various extraction methods were used to access the metals.
Dangers

Any job working below the ground is potentially hazardous and mining was no exception. Conditions were hot, oppressive and very dangerous but miners were prepared to risk life and limb because the work was relatively well paid compared to other means of employment. Working underground in hot, damp and dusty conditions meant miners were prone to many different diseases. Bronchitis, silicosis, TB and rheumatism were all common complaints making life expectancy short and few miners were fit to work beyond the age of 40. A very common injury was vibration white finger which affected rock drillers whose work involved extended use of vibrating hand-held machinery.
In the early days there were no cages to haul miners up and down the shaft. Mines were reached by ladders which could stretch down for 100 feet. Not surprisingly, falls were commonplace. Rock falls and flooding were hazards faced by miners on a daily basis and accidents were a frequent occurrence. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was common place for children to be employed in the mines.
Demise of Mining
In 1893 there were 67 mines in the area producing tin but by 1897 only 31 were still in production. Discoveries of massive mineral deposits in the New World caused many people to pack up and leave in search of work. Thousands of miners migrated overseas where their mining expertise was much valued in the new world of Australia, South Africa, North America and even Peru.

Several minor revivals took place over the following century, but the mining industry never fully recovered and became completely unprofitable as it could not compete with mining expansion around the world. Metal prices fell dramatically during the 1980s and this finally resulted in the collapse of mining at Tawara on an industrial scale. The last working tin mine in Europe closed in 1998.
World Mining 
Today the world’s top 5 mining countries are:
Russia – iron, nickel, coal and cobalt
South Africa – gold, copper and iron
USA – copper, coal
Australia – iron, nickel and bauxite
China – gold, iron, bauxite, copper
Tin Mining
Tin is one of the oldest metals known to man. It is thought that tin has been traded throughout Europe for around 4,000 years and was of huge strategic importance to rulers and traders. It was alloyed with copper to make bronze for utensils, weapons and decorations in a material that was far superior to stone.
Tin revolutionised the food industry as tin-plated iron, and then steel, cans enabled food to be preserved and transported. Tin foil was once a common wrapping material for foods and drugs but since the early 20th century most everyday materials such as beverage cans and tin foil are actually made of steel or aluminium. From toothpaste to window glass to wiring, tin remains an important material in our world. Major tin deposits are confined to a comparatively small number of areas with tin production dominated by China and Indonesia, which account for over 70% of global mine output. The largest operating mine currently in Europe is the Neves-Corvo complex in Portugal where both tin and copper are extracted.
The Future
Over recent times the price of tin in particular has been soaring again due to limited reserves found around the world. Current metal prices are as follows:
Large deposits of metal are still found in Tawara granite and over the coming years the price is expected to double. Demand has also increased due to tin being required for solder in the electronic and computer markets. Improvements in mining technology mean that the cost of extraction has fallen dramatically. Safety and environment regulations have all improved. This makes the prospect of tin mining an attractive proposition and the future for the mining industry has never been brighter.
Tawara Heritage Mining
We are introducing a limited edition range of commemorative bullion ingots to celebrate the rich history of the mining industry. We are offering valued members the opportunity of purchasing commemorative ingots of Tin (silvery/grey in appearance), Copper (reddish/orange in appearance), Lead (silvery/blue in appearance) and Zinc (bluish/white in appearance). Each ingot weighs one kilogram and is branded with the Tawara hallmark. All have been sourced from Tawara ore production and are 99.9% pure.
These commemorative ingots are sure to become collector items and will be released for sale at our annual open day. Invitations to the event will be sent in the near future so be sure to book your place.