Penwith Mining District - Prosper United Mines

OS Explorer Map 103: Grid reference SW534318

View Larger Map

Prosper United Mines group lay near Marazion, two miles southeast of Ludgvan.

Prosper United included Wheal Prosper, Trevarthian Downs and Wheal Helena. Prior to 1860 when the group was known as Marazion Mines, it also included Wheal Crab (later reworked as Wheal Chippendale), Wheal Virgin and Wheal Rodney. The Trevarthian Downs section lies adjacent to Penberthy Crofts Mine.

The mines of the group worked a large number of lodes from numerous shafts: Wheal Prosper Lode was worked from Thomas' Shaft, West Engine Shaft, Gilbert's Shaft, Flat Rod Shaft, Little Engine Shaft, Tregear's Shaft, Quarry, otherwise known as Middle East Shaft and Roberts' Shaft. Moor Lode was worked by Hill's Shaft and Louisa's Shaft. North Lode was opened up by Roache's Shaft whilst Hand's Lode was worked from Western Shaft and Hand's Shaft. Hosking's crosscut Lode was worked from Briar's Shaft, Darley's Shaft, Catherine's Shaft and Clarke's Shaft. Prosper Crosscut Lode was worked by Grylls' Shaft, Kendall's Shaft, Silvester's Shaft and Tregonning's Shaft. Trevabyn Lode was worked from Western Shaft. Other shafts on the enlarged sett included: Kenneth's (Boundary) Shaft, Caroline's (Henry's) Shaft, Ann's Shaft, Hosking's Shaft and Richard's Shaft.

In the Wheal Virgin Section, including Wheal Crab, tin, limonite, blende (zinc sulphide) and pyrite (iron sulphide) were discovered. This section worked from Beater's Shaft, Gundry's Shaft, Willliam's Shaft, Richard's Shaft, Maid Shaft, Rodney Shaft, Rowle's and King's Shaft

The group produced Copper, Tin, Lead, Silver and some Arsenic. Records state that in 1845 alone, almost 6,000 tons of copper were raised worth £29,144. Between the years of 1831 and 1841 ores 'were returned to the value of £150,000'.

Taking the mines separately we have the following results:

Wheal Prosper (1845-50) - 13,425 tons of 7% copper ore
Prosper United (1862-72) - 25,131 tons of 4.75% copper ore; (1862-69) - 979 tons of black tin; (1863-67) - 77 tons of 69% lead ore; (1864-65) - 300 ounces of silver.
Wheal Rodney (1845-48) - 1,565 tons of 5.5% copper ore and some gold.

For those of you with possibly a little more time to explore, once you've done 'the tourist bit', why not explore Cornwall's industrial heritage through its Tin and Copper Mines or learn more from my Cornish Bookstore