Cornwall Information site

Cornwall is known for its historic mining industry. The county had a mass of mineral mines that the rest of Britain missed out on. The reason for this is that during the late stages of the cooling of the mass of granite that forms a lot of Cornwall, fissures opened up in the granite when it was still molten. This resulted in hot molten rocks bubbling up through the granite from the earth's interior. These rocks were rich in minerals, and as they crystallized they formed mineral lodes. These contained the elements tin, copper, zinc, lead and iron with some silver.

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	This is the Cornwall Information Site. Cornwall is a county in the south west of England. It is exposed to the Atlantic Ocean and is renowned for its wonderful coastline, beaches and surf. Cornwall has a unique culture, spectacular landscape and mild climate that has made its main economy come from tourism. Surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean, English Channel and Celtic Sea, Cornwall has miles of beaches and cliffs, with breathtaking walks. On average, Cornwall is supported by the five million tourists that visit the county each year. These are mostly drawn from within the UK, although many Australians and South Africans live there now. Most of the tourists flock to the town of Newquay, which is a popular destination for surfers and partiers. A vast majority of the county’s tourists visit the Eden Project. This has been a major financial success and contributes to one in eight of Cornwall's visitors.

Cornwall is known for its historic mining industry. The county had a mass of mineral mines that the rest of Britain missed out on. The reason for this is that during the late stages of the cooling of the mass of granite that forms a lot of Cornwall, fissures opened up in the granite when it was still molten. This resulted in hot molten rocks bubbling up through the granite from the earth's interior. These rocks were rich in minerals, and as they crystallized they formed mineral lodes. These contained the elements tin, copper, zinc, lead and iron with some silver.
Mining has existed in Cornwall since between 1000 and 2000 B.C. However, in the 19th century the mining industry reached its peak. Following this point, foreign competition reduced the price of copper and tin so much that Cornish ore became unprofitable. During the peak stage of mining in Cornwall, the Cornish Tin Mining Industry had around 600 steam engines pumping out the mines. Today Cornwall is riddled with abandoned mines some of which are tourist attractions; others have caused major metal contamination to the land and surrounding water (e.g. Wheal Jane).