Situated on the east-northeast striking Van lode worked within Silurian and Ordovician rocks. Mineralisation primarily consisted of chalcopyrite within a quartz and calcite gangue, with some sparse galena.
Site contains trials and opencuts along the outcrops. A crosscut and deep adit with levels connect to a shaft, with Cummings Engine Shaft (SN 8860 8570) being the most recent feature—still open, along with one of the levels above. The 19th-century dressing floors were likely located at what is now Geufron Farm (SN 8828 8565), though no visible remains survive.
| Year | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1708 | Substantial trials by the Mine Adventurers, the report stating: ’We also viewed your Copper Vein called Gyfron, which runs from West to East: The Ground is opened 110 Yards, and Ore found. It has a little level Fathom in Length, and there is a convenient Place to begin a level about 20 Yards deeper, which at the top of the hill will by 79 Yards deep. There is a shaft, to which the Level is brought 17 Yards deep: Eastwards of which is a Drift, the Forefield hereof is 3 Foot 2 Inches wide, of which 17 Inches is in Ore, and leys very soft. In this Vein they frequently meet with native copper and other green Ore, which yields about half and half. The poorest sort holds about one Ton of Copper in 6 Tons of Ore. |
| 1739 | 21 year lease taken on ‘Craig y Geyfron’ by London gentlemen William Cheeseborough and Caleb Wynde. |
| early 1800s | Tips re-worked for copper by a wealthy individual named Old Brown. |
| 1852 | Under Captain W. Pearce, copper raised from 10, 15, 20 fm. levels as well as Deep Adit. 212 tons of ore returned during the year. Cummings Engine shaft comencted to explore the vein at depth. |
| 1850s | With deteriorating prospects, company turns attention to Gwestyn - another very old mine. |
| 1855 | By now had been abandoned. |
| c 1858 | Both mines for sale. |
| 1870 | Unsuccessful promotion, details from which reveal Deep Adit driven as 52 fm crosscut onto the lode, then east for 250 fm along the lode with stoping up to No 2 adit aove. Also several winzes up to 20fm below Deep Adit. |
363 copper ore returned by Parce 1851-1855, and possibly 150 tons between 1839-47.
External Links
Publications (9)
- (1922); BGS - Mineral Resources of GB (c1920s) Vol XX - Lead and Zinc: Cardiganshire & West Montogmeryshire; 242 pages
- Bick, D.E. (1991); Old Metal Mines of Mid-Wales, The; West Montgomeryshire, Aberdovey, Dinas Mawddwy & Llangynog - Part 4; pp. 32-34
- Foster-Smith, J. R. (1978); Mines of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, The
- Hamer, E. (1872); Parochial account of Llanidloes, A; The Montgomeryshire Collections : 5 : 1-48
- Jones, J. A. & Moreton, N. J. M. (1977): Mines and Minerals of Mid-Wales, The
- Jones, Nigel and Walters, Mark and Frost, Pat (2004); Mountains and Orefields; 208 pages
- Jones, O. T. (1922); Lead and Zinc. The Mining District of North Cardiganshire and West Montgomeryshire
- Liscombe & Co (1880); Mines of Cardiganshire, Montgomereyshire & Shropshire; 52 pages
- Timberlake, Simon (2015); PDMHS (Peak District Mines Historical Society) 19-3 Sum - New investigations and new ideas on Prehistoric-Roman metal mining and smelting in Wales; 10 pages (21-30)
