Media enquiries

For all media enquiries please contact Sue Bradbury PR on 01872 863863 or email sue@suebradburypr.com

Latest News & Media

THE NEW FACE OF CORNISH MINING. West Briton (19 Aug 2010)

It is a tin mine but not one that a traditional Cornish miner will recognise.
This is how South Crofty should look if planning permission is given for its development. More info

HUNTING FOR GOLD AT SOUTH CROFTY. Cornwall Life (Aug 2010)

Exploration has proved there is gold at South Crofty mine. More info

MINING FIRM EXPANDS ITS SEARCH FOR EXTRA SITES. West Briton (19 Aug 2010)

The company that owns South Crofty mine has extended its search for mineral deposits. More info

WUM TO EXPAND MINING. Business Cornwall (Aug/Sept 2010)

Western United Mines (WUM) is to widen its exploration and investigation programme with widespread surface drilling beyond the South Crofty site. More info

SURFACE DRILLING BEGINS AT DUCHY COLLEGE. 18 August 2010

Western United Mines, the company that owns South Crofty, has begun surface drilling at Duchy College’s Rosewarne site in Camborne. More info

MINING BACK AT CROFTY. Packet (18 Aug 2010)

Western United Mines hope to restart production by 2012. More info

UNEARTHING DUCHY'S HIDDEN TREASURE. My Cornwall (Aug/Sept 2010)

Western United Mines Limited is set to widen its exploration and investigation programme by widespread surface drilling beyond the South Crofty site. More info

MINE RELOCATION PLANS SUBMITTED. 10 August 2010

Western United Mines (WUM), the company that owns South Crofty, has submitted two planning applications. The first is for the relocation of all necessary surface buildings and infrastructure to the area adjacent to the railway and close to the Tuckingmill Decline mine entrance. The second is for an extension to the mining permissions that will more than double its underground operating area. More info

MINE’S NEW SURFACE DRILLING PROGRAMME WILL UNEARTH CORNWALL’S HIDDEN TREASURE. 25 June 2010

Western United Mines Limited will widen its exploration and investigation programme by widespread surface drilling beyond the South Crofty site. More info

GOLD HUNTER STARTS WORK AT SOUTH CROFTY. 13 June 2010

Exploration has proved there is gold at South Crofty so to pinpoint exactly where to mine for it managers have taken on a specialist MSc Mining Geology student. More info

WESTERN UNITED MINES OFFERS RARE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDENTS. June 2010

Exciting developments at West Cornwall’s South Crofty mine has prompted owners, Western United Mines, to offer summer work placements to university students. More info

SOUTH CROFTY GOLD RUSH? Business Cornwall (June 2010)

South Crofty mine is declaring a small discovery of gold as potentially "very significant". More info

SOUTH CROFTY FEATURED ON THE ONE SHOW. BBC 1 (01 June 2010)

South Crofty has been featured on the One Show. (BBC 1 01 June 2010 at 7 - 7.30pm). More info

SOUTH CROFTY EXPECTS 2-3 YEARS TO START UP - Tin in the News (24 May 2010)

Western United Mines plans to re-open the South Crofty mine in Cornwall, UK, in about two to three years, COO John Webster told Reuters. However the company needs to raise another UK£10 million to complete a feasibility study on the project, after which an initial public offering of shares is likely.

Tin in the News article - 24 May 2010 More info

SOUTH CROFTY TO BREATHE LIFE BACK INTO CORNISH MINING -International Mining (May 2010)

South Crofty and Cornwall in general mean a lot to hard rock mining people from England. The county was the world’s leading metal producer back in the 1860s. So, its good to hear from Barry Wills that Europe’s last working tin mine, which closed 12 years ago, is on the brink of reopening as a polymetallic mine, working orebodies containing copper, zinc, silver, lithium and indium, as well as tin. More info

EUROPE'S OLDEST MINE SET TO REOPEN - Reuters TV (May 2010)

Video Description - After discovering commercial levels of tin, copper, zinc and even gold, the owners of Europe's last tin mine are hoping to be back in business within 2 years. More info

GOLD MINING IN SOUTH CROFTY 'COULD BE VIABLE' - West Briton (13 May 2010)

Once known as Europe's last working tin mine, South Crofty could soon be hailed as England's only working gold mine.

West Briton article - 13 May 2010 More info

SOUTH CROFTY IS GOING FOR GOLD - Packet (12 May 2010)

Camborne looks like it could have a Californian-style gold rush after "economic amounts of gold" were found at South Crofty mine.

The Camborne and Redruth Packet - 12 May 2010 More info

GOLD FOUND IN CORNISH MINE - Daily Telegraph online (07 May 2010)

Ever since South Crofty mine closed down 12 years ago, Camborne in the heart of Cornwall has struggled.

But now a reversal of fortune could be on the horizon.

Because prospectors have quite literally struck gold in old South Crofty mine.

"Commercial levels" of gold have been found in the complex, which has been mined for tin and copper since 1592.

Closure of South Crofty - the county's last operational mine - ended a mining tradition spanning 3,000 years.

Daily Telegraph - 07 May 2010 More info

CORNWALL'S SITTING ON A GOLD MINE - Daily Mail (07 May 2010)

The South Crofty mine, near Camborne, in the west of the country, is thought to be more gold-rich than some of the major mining sites in California.
Daily Mail article - 07 May 2010 More info

CORNWALL MINE STRIKES GOLD - Sun online (07 May 2010)

Traces of gold have been discovered at South Crofty mine in Cornwall.
The Sun article - 07 May 2010 More info

GOLD DISCOVERED IN OLD CORNISH TIN MINE - Guardian (07 May 2010)

"Commercial levels" of precious metal found at South Crofty mine in Cornwall.

Western United Mines plans to expand exploration to other areas.

The Guardian article - 07 May 2010 More info

CORNWALL GOES FOR GOLD AT SOUTH CROFTY TIN MINE - Times Online (07 May 2010)

Cornwall is already famed for its golden beaches and golden-crusted clotted cream. Now the owners of South Crofty mine hope that it will soon be as well known for the real thing: gold.
Times Online article - 07 May 2010 More info

BBC Spotlight - May 2010

South Crofty has been featured on BBC Spotlight - 06 May 2010 More info

CROFTY IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING FREE HOT WATER FOR ALL 3 - Western Morning News ( 06 April 2010)

In the third of his series of articles looking at the prospects for South Crofty, Simon Parker reports on plans to provide free hot water for every household in Camborne and Redruth.
Western Morning News article - 06 April 2010 More info

HAIRDRYER REVOLUTIONISES CROFTY'S MINERAL ANALYSIS 2 - Western Morning News (30 March 2010)

In the second of his series of articles looking at the prospects for South Crofty, Simon Parker reports on an innovative piece of mine equipment which is saving time and money.
Western Morning News article - 30 March 2010 More info

NEW DAWN FOR SOUTH CROFTY 1 - Western Morning News (23 March 2010)

Copper, silver and zinc point to profitable mining future.
Cornish mining could be back in business within two years if ambitious plans to extract copper, zinc, silver and even gold at South Crofty attract sufficient international investment.
Western Morning News article - 23 March 2010 More info

TIN BOOM PREDICTED BY CROFTY MINE CHIEF - WEST BRITON. 18 Feb 2010

Mining and geology students have been learning more about South Crofty mine when John Webster was guest lecturer at the Camborne School of Mines. West Briton article - 18 February 2010 More info

OUT OF THIS WORLD - BBC Radio 4 (11 February 2010)

Scientists are warning that our planet is fast running out of many essential materials. Dwindling reserves of platinum, copper and phosphorous could create crises in the electronics, medical and farming worlds. There are fears that competition between countries for remaining deposits will result in 'resource wars'.
South Crofty is featured in this piece including an interview with John Webster.

Materials scientist Mark Miodownik finds out how serious the situation has become and asks what scientists, politicians and economists can do to secure the earth's resources for future generations. More info

MINING AND GEOLOGY STUDENTS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SOUTH CROFTY. February 2010

It was standing room only when the Chief Operations Officer at South Crofty Mine was guest lecturer at the University of Exeter’s Camborne School of Mines’ Tremough campus in Penryn. More info

GREAT BRITISH RAILWAY JOURNEYS - BBC2 (22 January 2010)

Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. In a series of four epic journeys, he travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us, and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains.

His journey takes him along the Brunel's Great Western Railway from Swindon to Penzance. This time, Michael searches for the lost church of St Piran, explores the last working tin mine in Cornwall (South Crofty) and harvests oysters on the Helford River. More info

SOUTH CROFTY ON TV - Cornwall Today (December 2009)

Cornwall's South Crofty mine will feature in a new BBC2 TV series to be presented by former Tory cabinet minister, Michael Portillo.
Cornwall Today - December 2009 More info

HANDS-ON DOWN BELOW AT SOUTH CROFTY FOR STUDENTS - West Briton (26 Nov 2009)

First-year students at Camborne School of Mines had their first mining experience during a field trip to Western United Mines' South Crofty site. More info

YOUNG MINERS HAVE THEIR FIRST UNDERGROUND EXPERIENCE. November 2009

First year students at Camborne School of Mines had their first hands-on mining experience last week during a field trip to Western United Mines’ South Crofty site. More info

NEW MINE EQUIPMENT SAVES TIME AND MONEY. November 2009

A new high-tech piece of equipment is proving there is even greater mineral wealth beneath west Cornwall than previously imagined. Its purchase is helping exploration at South Crofty move forward at an even greater rate. More info

CONFIDENCE HIGH AT SOUTH CROFTY - Business Cornwall (November 2009)

South Crofty owner Western United Mines (WUM) is continuing to press ahead with its plans to return tin mining to Cornwall within the next two years. More info

TODAY THERE'S HI-TECH MINING DEEP BENEATH SOUTH CROFTY - West Briton (29 Oct 2009)

West Briton reporter Julian Ridge takes a trip deep beneath South Crofty discovering that picks and shovels are mining tools of the past. More info

OWNERS EXPECT 80 YEARS OF MINING - BBC News - Oct 2009

A mining company (Western United Mines) has predicted that it will be exploiting old tin workings in Cornwall for the next 80 years. More info

PUBLIC INVITED TO VIEW SOUTH CROFTY AND DUDNANCE LANE PLANS. October 2009

The transformation of Dudnance Lane in Pool, including the relocation of South Crofty mine and proposed commercial and residential development will be the subject of a public exhibition in Pool later this month. More info

SOUTH CROFTY DEPOSITS ARE 'WORLD CLASS'. October 2009

Mineral deposits at the South Crofty mining project could be world class according to the mine’s new Chief Operations Officer. More info

LASER SCANNING ROBOT MAPS HISTORIC TIN MINE - Directions Magazine (Oct 2009)

A revolutionary laser scanning robot has been used to create a highly accurate 3D model of an historic tin mine in Cornwall, UK. Developed by Jobling Purser RSV LLP with support from 3D Laser Mapping the robot, 3D-R1, utilises the latest laser scanner hardware combined with wireless communications and advanced robotic technology to automatically capture millions of sub-centimetre accurate survey measurements, at speed and in dangerous or inhospitable environments. In the latest deployment 3D-R1 was used to survey the mines at South Crofty, owned and operated by Western United Mines. More info

SOUTH CROFTY DEPOSITS "WORLD CLASS" SAYS NEW COO - Business Cornwall (October 2009)

Mineral deposits at the South Crofty mining project could be world class according to the mine’s new chief operations officer (COO). More info

KEEPING THE SEAM ALIVE - Cornwall Today (September 2009)

Two thousand years of Cornish mine engineering, and it's not over yet as Jessica Milne explores South Crofty's history, the site and the future for Cornish mining. More info

NEW WEBSITE FOR SOUTH CROFTY MINE. July 2009

South Crofty’s new website has gone live providing a much-requested window into the progression of work underground. The full address of the new site is www.westernunitedmines.com. More info

RESIDENTS FEEL WESTERN UNITED MINES UNDERGROUND BLASTING. May 2009

Western United Mines’ managers are conscious that recent underground blasting has been felt by residents in the Camborne area and as they move towards the next, more intense, period of development at South Crofty Tin Mine that blasting will increase. More info

SOUTH CROFTY’S TECHNO TIN MEN TRIAL CUTTING EDGE EQUIPMENT. March 2009

South Crofty Mine has taken part in the final trials of an innovative and ground breaking new piece of mine surveying equipment. More info

REGENERATION GROUPS SEE THE FULL SCALE OF MODERN MINING. October 2008

A tour of the Lisheen zinc and lead mine in southern Ireland has shown members of Cornwall County Council, South West RDA and CPR Regeneration what to expect from the new modern methods being installed and employed at South Crofty mine. More info

PUBLIC INVITED TO SEE PROPOSED PLANS FOR SOUTH CROFTY. August 2008

Proposed plans for the further development of South Crofty tin mine – both above and below ground – will be on view to the public over the next few weeks. More info

NEW CHAIR OF COMPANY WILL ATTEND SOUTH CROFTY INFORMATION DAY. July 2008

The new chair of Western United Mines will be one of the senior executives available to answer questions about South Crofty tin mine at an Information Day event being held at the mine on Saturday 2 August from 10am to 1pm. More info

NEW DIAMOND DRILL WILL SPEED UP WORK AT SOUTH CROFTY. March 2008

A NEW diamond drill worth £250,000 will have a huge impact on exploration work at Western United Mines’ South Crofty Mine. More info

GOING UNDERGROUND. November 2007

A chance meeting in a local chip shop has opened a whole new world of opportunity for a Redruth warehouse manager as he has joined the fast expanding team of miners working down South Crofty Mine. More info

JULIA GOLDSWORTHY VISITS CROFTY. November 2007

Julia Goldsworthy, Liberal Democrat MP for Falmouth and Camborne, has had a meeting with board members of Western United Mines, owners of South Crofty tin mine in Cornwall. More info

NEW MINING COMPANY IS FORMED. November 2007

Progress towards commercial tin production at the South Crofty tin mine in Cornwall will be accelerated following the formation today (November 2) of a new mining company. More info