Welcome to Poldark Mine, So Much More Than Just A Tin Mine...

By the 1820's Cornish mining skills and Cornish manufactured pumping engines were in great demand throughout the world and there followed over 100 years of contract mining overseas and emigration to every continent.

The result is that Cornish engine houses, so familiar to visitors to the Duchy, are also landmarks in many foreign countries, from the mountains of Mexico to Australia, the plains of Spain to the gold fields of South Africa and even on tropical Caribbean islands.

Cornish pasties are made daily in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Australia and the largest gathering of Cornish people and their descendants takes place every two years in Australia!

At first recruited by the British Government to open up the mining fields many Cornish emigrants came to settle in Australia's developing mining regions in the mid-19th century.

Nearly half of all immigrants in South Australia by 1865 were Cornish. Cornish workers had a big impact not only on Australia's mining industry but also on the culture we associate with the country today.

Cornish miners were first involved here in 1835 when the Virgin Gorda Mining Company was formed and miners were recruited in Cornwall to develop the copper lode at what became known as the Copper Point Mine on the island of Virgin Gorda.

31 men and 5 women sailed from St. Austell and, assisted by local people, mining operations commenced on the site which today has one of the only two known Cornish engine houses in the Caribbean.

When the 19th century mining boom hit the American West, the Cornish were considered some of the best hard rock miners in the world.

Many of them subsequently migrated and settled in North America's many mining regions, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Montana, South Dakota, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and California.

The expertise and innovation that the Cornish brought with them had a profound effect on American mining.

The cultural influence of the 'Cousin Jacks' is still apparent in some regions today.

In 1881 Messrs. John Taylor & Sons, a firm of mining Engineers based in London, who had been involved in the management of mining operations in Cornwall and in Mexico at Real del Monte undertook the management of the Kolar Goldfields. As was their practice they employed Cornish miners and engineers to develop the mines.

The connection with Cornwall continued until the 1950's when mining operations ceased.

In the early 19th century, South America’s once great gold and silver mines lay derelict. In contrast, Cornwall's booming mining industry had given it a reputation as one of the world's leading mining regions.

Subsequently, South America looked to Cornwall to provide the technology and expertise that would regenerate its once thriving industry.

By the 1830's Cornish miners were already being recruited to work mines across the continent.

From 1870 Cornish miners were involved in developing the rich alluvial and deep mining operations of the Malayan tin fields. They were so involved that mining companies such as Gopang Limited, based in Redruth, only had operations in Malaya.

In 1824 London financiers formed a company to amalgamate and reopen the famous silver mines of Real del Monte. They recruited Cornish mineworkers and utilising Cornish mining technology commenced reopening the mines.

The first group of officers and technicians arrived on 11th June 1824. Today this town is proud of its built and social Cornish heritage.

The rich tin deposits of the Plateau State in Nigeria were operated by Cornish mineworkers and managers until the collapse of the tin price in 1986.

At one time the famous engineering firm of Holman Brothers of Camborne had offices in Nigeria.

The last involvement of Cornish miners here was in 1992 on a lead zinc silver project.

During the 1800s, Kimberly in South Africa saw the world's greatest ever diamond rush. Hard rock mining techniques were required to extract the precious stones and so Cornish immigrants flooded in to try and make their fortune.

As Cornwall's copper and tin industry faded, South Africa's mining industry prospered. During their time in South Africa, the Cousin Jacks introduced some of their preferred activities, including one pastime that remains quite popular with the locals to this day.