1-157-532 - Oxford Science Archive/Heritage Images

Tin mine between Camborne and Redruth, Cornwall, c1860. Ore is being washed in the foreground, while in the background, Cornish steam engine houses powering mine pumps and raising machinery can be seen. Tin mining was practised in Cornwall since the Bronze Age, but reached its peak in the 19th century, when the county was one of the world's leading producers. In the 20th century, the dicovery of extensive, more accessible reserves overseas began the demise of the industry. In the 1980s, the global price of tin collapsed, and by the end of the century the last commercial Cornish mine had closed.