Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit

Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit: This pit is currently not in production. I had a very interesting look around with Huw. It was during 2016 when there had been reports of Lion sightings in the area.

In the soft mud below the conveyor belts we spotted some large paw prints. Thanks to Google we soon established they were possibly big cat prints……..we did not hang around very long.
Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit
Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit 1 – Conveyor belts leading from a processing plant in the China Clay Pit. The main pit which is flooded is behind where I am standing.
Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit
Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit 2 – Looking out from the catwalk above the conveyor. The terracing where the working areas were can be clearly seen.
Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit
Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit 3 – This image is looking back towards the processing area. In the background is a Hydrocylcone which is used in the processing of China Clay. It separates out coarse and fine material.
Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit
Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit 4 – Another image of the electric motor which drove the Classifier behind. This was used to separate coarse material from the China Clay slurry.
Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit
Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit 5 – A closer image of the Classifier and the slurry feed into it.
Great Wheal Prosper China Clay Pit
Cornish Mine Images 6 – Looking across the processing area towards a Thickening Tank in the distance. This is where the refined clay is thickened prior to being pumped to the Drying Plant.
Cornish Mine Images
Cornish Mine Images 7 – The whole of the processing area, the classifier is in the foreground. All the equipment was still there, from what I understand each pit is different. If there is a requirement for this type of clay again the plant could be operational in a very short time.
Cornish Mine Images
Cornish Mine Images 8 – This was taken down in the pit looking back towards the conveyor belts. In the foreground is a pump that prevented the pit from completely flooding.
Cornish Mine Images
Cornish Mine Images 9 – Another image of the pump.
Sites like this really surprised me, no equipment had been removed, it had just been turned off and left.
This I understand is often the case as every pit is different. Each type or grade of Clay has different properties, which is reflected in its uses. Consequently this area will not work again until that specific grade of material is required, this must make the leaving of the equipment cost effective.

This site is on private property. It should not be entered without permission, a suitable escort and health and safety equipment.

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