Phoenix United Mine - Misplaced Pages

Disused copper and tin mine in Cornwall, England

Phoenix United Mine
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Disused buildings of Phoenix United Mine
Location within CornwallShow map of CornwallPhoenix United Mine (England)Show map of England
Location	Cornwall
Grid reference	SX266724
Coordinates	50°31′34″N 4°26′50″W / 50.5261°N 4.4471°W / 50.5261; -4.4471
Interest	Biological
Area	29.79 hectares (0.298 km; 0.115 sq mi)
Notification	1996 (1996)
Natural England website

Phoenix United Mine is a disused 19th century copper and tin mine in Cornwall, England, UK. Heavy metals left over in the soil from the mining operations have allowed mosses and lichens to flourish, and today the site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), noted for its biological characteristics.

All of the land designated as Phoenix United Mine SSSI is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall.

History

The mine was first worked in 1836 as Cornwall Great United Mines, having previously been mined separately as Clanacombe, Stowes and Wheal Prosper mines. The mine was subsequently bought by James Seccombe in 1842 who renamed it Phoenix Mine/Wheal Phoenix in 1844, finally being called Phoenix United Mine when West Phoenix Mine was incorporated.

The mine originally extracted copper, the 1850s being the mine's peak production of the metal, with a work force of 130. By the 1860s the copper reserves were diminishing but consultant mining engineer, William West, bought a controlling share in the company and equipped the mine to extract tin in 1864 after samples showed evidence of tin deposits. By 1865 the work force had expanded to 460, continuing to 600 by the 1870s. It used the Liskeard and Caradon Railway to transport the ore away and supply the mine with coal. With the price of tin and copper slumping, the West Phoenix Mine ceased operation in 1898. The final shaft, the Prince of Wales Shaft, was closed in 1914.

Geography

The 29.8-hectare (74-acre) SSSI, notified in 1996, is located within the civil parish of Linkinhorne, on the south-eastern edge of Bodmin Moor, 5 miles (8.0 km) north of the town of Liskeard.

The SSSI also forms part of Phoenix United Mine and Crow's Nest Special Area of Conservation.

Wildlife and ecology

The habitat of the site is dominated by presence of heavy metals from the mining operations within the soil. This has restricted the growth of vascular plants and has allowed bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) and lichens to flourish. Phoenix United Mine is important for its rare bryophytes.

On the site, on the banks of a metal-rich stream, can be found three nationally rare liverwort species that are listed in the Red Data Book of rare and endangered plant species; these being Cephaloziella integerrima, Cephaloziella massalongi and Cephaloziella nicholsonii. The nationally scarce liverwort, Cephaloziella stellulifera is also present within the mine.

Two nationally scarce species of moss, Gymnostomum viridulum and Gymnostomum calcareum, are supported on the site. The mine is one of only two sites in the world where Cornish path moss (Ditrichum cornubicum) grows, the other being Crow's Nest. This moss is a pioneer species of bare or sparsely vegetated, mine-waste laden soils.

Greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) use disused mine adits as a winter roosting site, and other bat species feed on the site.

References

"Mapping the habitats of England's ten largest institutional landowners". Who owns England?. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
^ "South Phoenix Mine, Caradon, Cornwall". Cornwall Calling. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
^ "Mines of Caradon Area - Phoenix United Mine". Cornwall In Focus. Archived from the original on 2 December 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
"Phoenix United Mine map". Natural England. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 201 Plymouth & Launceston ISBN 978-0-319-23146-3
"Phoenix United Mine and Crow`s Nest". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
^ "Phoenix United Mine" (PDF). Natural England. 1996. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
"Crow's Nest" (PDF). Natural England. 1999. Retrieved 17 January 2012.

v t e Ceremonial county of Cornwall
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Unitary authorities	Cornwall Council Council of the Isles of Scilly
Major settlements (cities in italics)	Bodmin Bude Callington Camborne Camelford Falmouth Fowey Hayle Helston Hugh Town Launceston Liskeard Looe Lostwithiel Marazion Newlyn Newquay Padstow Penryn Penzance Porthleven Redruth St Austell St Blazey St Columb Major St Ives St Just in Penwith Saltash Stratton Torpoint Truro Wadebridge See also: List of civil parishes in Cornwall
Rivers	Allen Camel Carnon Cober De Lank Fal Fowey Gannel Hayle Helford Inny Kensey Lerryn Looe Lynher Menalhyl Ottery Par Pont Pill Port Navas Red St Austell Seaton Tamar Tiddy Truro Valency full list...
Topics	History (Civil War) Status debate Flag Culture Economy Fishing Flora and fauna Places List of farms Population of major settlements Demography Notable people The Duchy Diocese Politics Schools Hundreds/shires Places of interest Outline of Cornwall Index of Cornwall-related articles

v t e Biological Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Summary	Summarised data for all sites (biological and geological)
Cornwall	Aire Point to Carrick Du Amble Marshes Baulk Head to Mullion Bedruthan Steps and Park Head Boconnoc Park and Woods Bodmin Moor, North Borlasevath and Retallack Moor Boscastle to Widemouth Brendonmoor Breney Common Bude Coast Cabilla Manor Wood Caerthillian to Kennack Carnkief Pond Carrick Heaths Carricknath Point to Porthbean Beach Carrine Common & Penwethers Chyenhal Moor Cligga Head Coombe Mill Coverack to Porthoustock Crow's Nest Crowhill Valley Dozmary Pool Draynes Wood East Lizard Heathlands Eglarooze Cliff Gerrans Bay to Camels Cove Godrevy Head to St Agnes Goonhilly Downs Goss and Tregoss Moors Greenamoor Greenscoombe Wood, Luckett Grimscott Gwithian to Mexico Towans Hayle Estuary & Carrack Gladden Kelsey Head Kennack to Coverack Kernick and Ottery Meadows Loe Pool Loggans Moor Lower Bostraze and Leswidden Lower Fal & Helford Intertidal Lymsworthy Meadows Lynher Estuary Malpas Estuary Marazion Marsh Meddon Moor Meneage Coastal Section Merthen Wood Minster Church Mullion Cliff to Predannack Cliff Nance Wood Newlyn Downs Ottery Valley Park Wood Penhale Dunes Pentire Peninsula Phoenix United Mine Plymouth Sound Shores And Cliffs Polruan to Polperro Polyne Quarry Porthgwarra to Pordenack Point Rame Head & Whitsand Bay Red Moor Redlake Meadows & Hoggs Moor Retire Common River Camel Valley and Tributaries Rock Dunes Rosemullion Rosenannon Bog and Downs St Austell Clay Pits St John's Lake St Nectan's Glen Steeple Point to Marsland Mouth Swanpool Sylvia's Meadow Talland Barton Tamar–Tavy Estuary Tintagel Cliffs Treen Cliff Tregonetha & Belowda Downs Tregonning Hill Trehane Barton Trelow Downs Trevose Head and Constantine Bay Upper Fal Estuary and Woods Upper Fowey Valley Ventongimps Moor West Cornwall Bryophytes West Lizard
Isles of Scilly	Annet Big Pool and Browarth Point Castle Down (Tresco) Chapel Down Eastern Isles Great Pool Gugh Higher Moors and Porth Hellick Pool Lower Moors Norrard Rocks Peninnis Head Pentle Bay, Merrick And Round Islands Plains and Great Bay Pool Of Bryher & Popplestone Bank Rushy Bay and Heathy Hill Samson Shipman Head & Shipman Down St Helen's St Martin's Sedimentary Shore Teän Western Rocks White Island Wingletang Down
Neighbouring areas Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Devon Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset

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