Tye, Wheal

Wheal Lushington Mine, also known as West Wheal Towan Mine, comprises an amalgamation of a number of small and ancient mining setts that occupy a strip of coastline extending over a distance of around 1500 meters from the western side of Porthtowan Beach to the eastern side of Keriack Cove. While the western section of the sett lies within the parish of Portreath, the mine is included within the Porthtowan mining district. Portreath village itself lies over 2.5 km to the southwest of the western boundary of the sett, and if used, gives a misleading geographic location for the site. The small mines that comprise the sett are as follows: Wheal Sterran and Wheal Tye lie on the cliff to the west of Tobban Horse. In 1927, Vivians Shaft was reopened, although some fine-grained tin ore was encountered, no development ensued. The large cliffside waste dump and remains of old mine buildings, including a square-section stack, date from this period of operation.