Located within Birch Wood on the eastern slope of the River Tavy Valley, near Shillamill, approximately one and a half miles southwest of the village of Whitchurch, near Tavistock in West Devon. The mining complex included Birch Wood Mine.

Functioning as a copper and lead producer, the mine exploited a single lode, appropriately named Main Lode, accessed from Engine Shaft, Derrick Shaft, Carthew Shaft, and Sprague’s Shaft. Production records indicate that between 1852 and 1861, a total of 1,510 tons of 6% copper ore and 3 tons of 67% lead ore were extracted.

Under the name Courtenay Mine, operations continued between 1869 and 1878, producing 280 tons of 7.5% copper ore.