|
|
[Home] [Search] [FAQ] |
|---|---|
| [Private Message] [Register] [Profile] [Member list] [Log-in] |
| Who's Online: |
| There are 0 member(s), and 1 guest(s) online. |
| [Print Version] [Post Reply] |
| Author | Message |
|---|---|
|
cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline |
Ystrad Einion Copper Mine, March 2012 Visited with walsh.HISTORY Ystrad Einion lead-silver, zinc and copper mine is one of the most northerly metal mines in Ceredigion, situated in the heart of Cwm Einion. Mining had been carried out here in a small way since the 18th century, but the main period of activity came in the final decades of the 19th century, when Lancastrian entrepreneur Adam Mason leased the land from the Pryses of Gogerddan and sank over £3000 in state-of-the-art equipment. Ystrad Einion was a relatively small mine; a report of 1891 notes just 11 miners working at the site, 9 men labouring underground and 2 lads, aged between 13 and 18 above ground. It also proved spectacular unprofitable, with minimal, if any, returns. In 1891 the mine produced 5 tons of silver bearing lead (value £37), 10 tons of zinc ore (value £15) and 5 tons of copper ore (value £7). The mine was closed in 1903, when much of the machinery was sold or scrapped. The above ground remains of the mine have been consolidated and are accessible to the public. Here processing to recover the metal ore took place. Water provided the main source of power and was brought to the site via a leat running off from the River Einion 2km up stream. The wheel pits for three waterwheels survive, one wheel powered the pumps and winding drum at the main shaft head, another powered the stone breaker and crusher machinery in the crusher house, where lumps of ore bearing rock were reduced to a manageable size, and the third powered the jiggers and buddles which sorted and separated the metal ore. Other features of the site included waste tips, two stone ore bins, a blacksmiths shop, an ore store, an elaborate system of settling troughs and ponds to purify the poisonous wastewater, a gunpowder magazine set away from the other buildings and a series of tramways together with an incline that transported ore, waste and other materials around the site. Below ground are 4 levels of workings, accessed through adits cut in the hillside and linked by a number of shafts that reached an ultimate depth of 50 fathoms. A waterwheel which operated drainage pumps and a winding drum survives below ground and is unique in its survival. And also - Expansion of Ystrad Einion below the already existing adit began in 1871, when a 12-fathom level was opened. Installation around this time of a 16-foot diameter waterwheel for pumping and winding allowed the workings to descend a further 12 fathoms. Development at the mine continued with the excavation of a 30 fathom engine shaft, together with a leat which brought power to a 22.5ft waterwheel, used for pumping and winding. Two smaller water wheels drove the mine's processing machinery, which consisted of crushers, jiggers, and two 20ft dia. buddles. The new developments were celebrated in great style in 1877, but a distinct lack of ore meant full production didn't begin until 1891, by which point the mine was operating under new management. THE VISIT We were under the impression that this wasn't a big mine and wouldn't take that long to visit but while it may be small, it held so much history and interest that we spent nearly 5 hours underground. Two adit entrances are open and we tried both. A lovely little mine and well worth a visit if you can but watch out for the false floors and find out where they are before you visit ! 1. View from the entrance into the first adit we found. 
2. Which promptly ended in a collapsed false floor ! No way through here unless we could SRT. Which we can't ! 
3. The long walk back through the flooded adit to the entrance. 
4. Take 2 and view from the entrance of the second adit we found. 
5. Drill mark on the adit wall of which there are plenty in evidence throughout. 
6. Further down the adit and water is evident on the floor. 
7. The first sign of the many different colours in the mine. Rust and water combine. 
8. Continuing on and the adit opens up. View upwards towards supports seperating the adit. 
9. More colour - this time a bright blue seeps through the adit wall. 
10. Moving on and a flooded winding and pumping shaft which is deep, deep, deep ! But what was it for ? 
11. This is what it was for - a 22.5 foot diameter waterwheel which operated the drainage pumps and winding drum. 
12. The waterwheel - one of only two underground waterwheels surviving and accessible at any abandoned mine in the UK. 
13. Onto the upper level and the famous 'kibble'. 
14. To put the kibble into scale, pic of a man and the same kibble ! 
15. Short adit on the upper level with the kibble in the distance and some sort of 'life' on the right hand wall. 
16. The 'life' is a golden colour discharge. 
17. Beginning of the longest adit on the upper level. 
18. The adit still has old dram tracks in situ and some amazing colourisation. 
19. More colourisation seeping through the adit wall. This time its green. 
20. Further on down the adit and a blueish colour appears. 
21. The adit continues in a 'ghost train' style beloved of many seaside resorts. 
22. Onwards and the tracks veer to the right. 
23. Mining remnants at the end of the upper adit. 
24. More 'Alien' colourisation on the upper level. 
25. Back on the lower level and remains of equipment from the shaft. 
26. Heading back on the lower level towards the waterwheel. 
27. Self portrait. 
28. Further on and a flooded stoop which must be negotiated via the wooden 'bridge' on the right. 
29. View from the other side of the stoop. 
30. The blue waters of the flooded stoop. 
31. Maintenance access to the waterwheel. Sadly, a lot of debris from the wheel is now falling through. 
32. A stack of deads in the adit behind the waterwheel. 
33. The wheel close up. 
34. And then there was light ! 
35. A last look back into and goodbye to Ystrad Einion Copper Mine. 
Sorry if a bit pic heavy but this place was the dogs proverbials and would fully recommend a visit. Thanks for looking and and any comments / advice most welcome ! ---------------------- |
 Sat 17 Mar 2012 @ 10:02
|
    |
|
ratty Admin Posts : 96 Location : Pontypridd Status : Offline |
Good job I didn't go in the kibble, I would need a ladder to get back out again 
---------------------- |
Sun 25 Mar 2012 @ 13:27
|
|
| Time in GMT | |
| [Post Reply] | |
 New posts since your last visit |
Administrative Functions: Open/Close/Delete Thread / Move Thread |
 Old post
|
Powered by FunkBoard vCF0.74