Query from one of our readers: 'World cobalt output peaked several years ago, and there will be increasing shortages of it. I'm told that there was only one British mine which ever produced cobalt, and that in small quantities. I suspect it was in Cornwall. I'd be most grateful if anyone could tell me more about this local source.'Please put your replies in 'comments' on this post or email.
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From "The Geology of Cornwall" by Selwood, Durrance and Bristow, 1998 - "there was some very small scale production of antimony, bismuth, cobalt and uranium in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but it rarely amounted to more than a few tons, with a value of less than £1000 before the First World War. No more than a few mines were ever involved in their production, although east Pool did see some limited production of all these ores" (page 217-218)
I'll have a dig through my other books to see if I can come up with more for you.
The Wherry mine at Penzance also produced cobalt (Minerals of Cornwall and Devon, Embrey and Symes, p39), as did Dolcoath (op.cit., 41), The Cobalt Lode at Wheal Sparnon and Pednandrea was worked around 1808 (p. 47), Pengreep in the 1750's (p. 48).
In reply to the query about the source of cobalt mined in Britain.
I have a specimen of asbolite (asbolan) hydrated oxide of manganese plus cobalt oxide, formula complex and variable, from Wood Mine, Alderley Edge, Cheshire. The Wood Mine was the locality taken for a popular children's story by Alan Garner "The Weirdstone of Brisingham Certainly the mine was an important source of both manganese and cobalt.
The only cobalt source I know is the Virtuous Lady Mine, Tavisctock, which had many minerals. The cobalt was used by Josiah Wedgwood. It was more of an exhibition mine, used to demonstrate mining and minerals, than a profitable enterprise.
By the way, did you know there is a special form of galena, found at Coombe Martin - "Dull Galena" - dull because it's microcrystalline, and known to the German miners there as Fahlerzs? This contains up to 16% silver in the Coombe Martin Silver Mine. This is an unusually high level of silver.
Thanks, Duncan. The "Mine Captain" is Mitch Warburton. I published his paraphrased comments following a telephone conversation yesterday.
Cheers!
Ian Donaldson
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