Blue Hills Tin Streams, Mining museum in St Agnes, Cornwall, Great Britain.
Blue Hills Tin Streams is a working museum that demonstrates the complete process of tin extraction from raw ore collection to finished metal products using functional historical machinery. Visitors can observe water-powered equipment and traditional processing methods operating on the site.
Modern tin production at the site began in the 1960s when Colin Wills first extracted tin concentrates from coastal areas, with operations moving to the current location in 1974. This connected the region's long mining history with contemporary processing methods.
The Wills family continues traditional methods of tin processing that have shaped Cornwall's identity for generations, keeping the craft alive through water-powered and hand-operated techniques.
The site is best reached by car as it lies outside St Agnes village center, with parking available on the grounds. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for uneven terrain, as the active processing area requires careful movement.
The site collects tin from areas where ocean waves naturally clean the ore, making it one of the few places where alluvial mining continues without causing environmental harm. This natural cleaning process through wave action is a rare feature that sets it apart from modern mining elsewhere.
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