CORNWALL's oldest tin mill will receive the county's first engineering heritage award later this week.
King Edward Mine Mill, in Troon near Camborne, is to be honoured by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers at a special ceremony on Thursday morning.
The award will be presented by John Wood, chairman of the Institution's Engineering Heritage committee, to Tony Brooks, chairman of the King Edward Mine, at a special ceremony at the mill.
Now a museum, it continues to demonstrate to visitors how mined ore is treated to produce finished tin concentrate.
Mr Wood said: "The mine is a true feat of British engineering which marked a major change in tin concentration processes and technology.
"It pioneered the most up-to-date technologies of the time and has been training mining engineers for generations.
"It is an important part of both Cornish and British engineering history, and it's wonderful that it has been so well preserved for future generations."
Mr Brooks said the team was delighted to be the first site in Cornwall to have been selected for the award.
He added: "To be recognised by a body such as this is a real honour and is a reflection of the tens of thousands of hours put in over 25 years by our team of dedicated volunteers."
King Edward Mine is at the eastern part of the South Condurrow Mine which was abandoned about 1890.
It was re-opened in 1897, and developed as a fully operational and training mine, by the Camborne School of Mines in 1904.
The mine regularly produced tin up until World War 1 when operations were suspended. By 1920 it was back in production. However, less than 12 month later,the underground working had to be abandoned when the deeper Wheal Grenville Mine, to which it was connected, closed and both mines were subsequently flooded. Only the surface area was retained for teaching mining, ore dressing and surveying.
In 1974 the pilot plant and lecturing in mining to the main School of Mines Building and the mill became a store. In 1987 a volunteer group was formed to conserve the site and, using rescued machinery, the mill has been restored to working condition much as it would have been in the early years of the last century.
King Edward Mine and its satellite mine Great Condurrow ceased to be used by Camborne School of Mines in 2005. The King Edward Mine was purchased by Cornwall Council. The buildings are all Grade II* listed and are of National importance. The site is part of the World Heritage Area of Cornwall.
This will be the 83rd Engineering Heritage Award to be presented by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. The awards, established in 1984, aim to promote artefacts, sites or landmarks of significant engineering importance – past and present.
