A photographic print of Industry, Metals, Uranium, Mines

OLD CORNISH COPPER MINE YIELDS URANIUM ORE. MJH/P.1. Wheal Edward Mine, on the edge of the cliffs at St. Just, three miles from Land's End, Cornwall, may have a new lease of life as the result of the work now being carried out there by modern prospectors with geiger counters. For years the mine was worked for copper in the hey-day of Cornish mining, but the financial structire of the old mineral companies made no provision for the time when underground exploration was necessary or when thinner lodes were met and by 50 years ago, most had closed, until today only two are working, both for tin. Wheal Edward, however, attracted the attention of prospecting geologist, Mr. Richard Rumbold of Streatham (London) who was surveying the whole of West Cornwall for radio-active materials, combining this work with the field testing of modern prospecting equipment. His geiger counter ticked encouragingly when samples of ore were produced from the ancient mine and by scrambling down the cliff edge, he found a fairly easy means of access. Otherwise an elaborate winch gear would be needed to go down the vertical main shafts, which disappear dramatically into the dark ground. Now it is likely that a company will be formed to re-open the old mine for uranium ore. PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS: MR. E. C. MURRAY and MR. RICHARD RUMBOLD seen testing the rock 120 feet down the old heal Edward Mine at St. Just, Cornwall, for uranium, with a gieger counter. FOX PHOTOS SEPTEMBER 17TH. 1954. Industry - Uranium - Mines, etc.