Downgate Consols


Tungsten and Tin Mine
Worked from 1874 to 1942

Jan 1st, 2024 from RF by Buddle-Bot



Cornwall
Stoke Climsland
50.534663, -4.309044
SX 3646 7309
Private Land
110m
#8,009


This was a small tin and tungsten mine situated in the valley north of Downgate. Its primary ore source was an eluvial wash deposit, up to 12 feet thick, covering the eastern side of the valley, which was extracted from open pits. The deposit consisted of angular fragments of country rocks and veinstones, yielding an average of 2-7 pounds of tin and tungsten ores per cubic yard, though values varied widely. Additionally, a southeast-trending lode containing arsenopyrite and wolframite was accessed from an adit near the road bridge at Downgate.

Active from 1910 to 1919, the mine produced a small quantity of tin and tungsten concentrates. However, processing these concentrates proved challenging. In 1942-1943, the deposit was re-examined for tungsten, revealing a significant presence of ilmenite in the concentrates.



1874-1875 1914-1919 1942 trials


Publications (2)

  • (1923); BGS - Mineral Resources of GB (c1920s) Vol I - Tungsten & Manganes Ores; 93 pages
  • Dines, Henry George (1956); BGS - Regional Memoirs - Metalliferous Mining Region of South West England Vol2, The; 335 pages





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