A Conference Sharing Best Practice and New Approaches To

A conference sharing best practice and new approaches to

risk assessment in property conveyance and land development

Friday 30th September 2016

9am – 2pm, at Chi An Bobel, Heartlands, Pool, Redruth, Cornwall

To mark 25 years of Cornwall Consultants Ltd promoting awareness and understanding of mining related issues in the South West.

Programme

Time Title Author From To

09.00 09.30 Registration Coffee & Networking

09.30 09.35 Welcome and Introduction

Tony Bennett, 09.35 09.55 The Mining Legacy in the South West Cornish Chamber of Mines & Minerals Dr Keith Russ 09.55 10.10 A Virtual Tour Beneath our Feet Western United Mines Ltd Mining Subsidence Appraisal: Dan Berriman 10.10 10.40 Searching for the Future Cornwall Consultants Ltd Ground Instability: Chris Massie 10.40 11.00 Engineered Solutions to Stabilise and Secure Old Consulting Engineer Mine Workings

11.00 11.10 Q&A with Session 1 speakers

11.10 11.25 Coffee & Networking

Camborne-Pool-Redruth Link Road: Emma Blakesley 11.25 11.45 A Case Study of Mining, Geotechnical and CORMAC Solutions Ltd Contaminated Land Issues The Mundic Problem: Rachel Garside, Petrolab Ltd and 11.45 12.05 Principles and New Practices Dan Berriman, Cornwall Consultants Ltd Chris Tofts 12.05 12.25 Minerals and Planning Stephens Scown LLP Dealing with Land Contamination in Cornwall: James Langley and Miles Randall 12.25 12.45 The Local Authority Perspective Cornwall Council

12.45 12.55 Q&A Session with Session 2 speakers

12.55 13.00 Prize giveaway

13.00 14.15 Lunch, networking and Engine House Tours

Abstracts

09:35 – 09:55 The Mining Legacy in the South West by Tony Bennett Cornwall today is a very different place than it was over 100 years ago. For much of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries it was the most productive copper and tin mining region in the world, but nowadays it is difficult to appreciate the full scale of this industry. There were over 2,000 mines active in Cornwall and West Devon at various periods during the nineteenth century and during its heyday the industry employed over 40,000 people. Since the closure of the mines, the landscape of the region has been transformed by agricultural cultivation and housing and infrastructure development. It is easy to overlook the impact left by the legacy of thousands of abandoned shafts, hundreds of miles of underground workings and acres of despoiled ground. Nowadays, in our drive for increased development in this region it is important to be aware of the significance of this once prolific industry.

09:55 – 10:10 A Virtual Tour Beneath our Feet by Dr Keith Russ Over the past 25 years Keith has single-handedly digitised a vast collection of mine plans and records showing the layout of mine workings across the main mining districts in Cornwall and West Devon. He has created a 3- dimensional virtual underground fly-through which offers an interesting and unique perspective of the ground beneath many modern urbanised areas. A short video will show in amazing clarity, the extent of deep workings and shafts modelled to date in the Camborne/Redruth Mining District and the complexity and density of the various mines. It also contextualises the degree of mining at shallow levels, which was not usually surveyed and which presents the main problem at surface today. The models are based upon plans held either in private archives or in the County Records Office at Truro.

10:10 – 10:40 Mining Subsidence Appraisal: Searching for the Future by Dan Berriman Mining Subsidence Appraisal in the South West has become a well-established process over the last 25 years. Mining Searches and follow-up Mining Investigations are now standard services that are provided by several recognised locally-based experts. Cornwall leads the way in Mining Subsidence Appraisal with more mining searches completed for conveyance and development than anywhere else in the UK. However, this is changing. This very localised industry is undergoing more substantial development than ever before. Dan will demonstrate the advances that local mining search specialists are making to this process and discuss the improved outward facing elements of the industry that benefit clients. He will also outline the wider reaching changes that are on the horizon.

10:40 – 11:00 Ground Instability: Engineered Solutions to Stabilise and Secure Old Mine Workings by Chris Massie Risk assessments and cost-benefit analyses during design, and value engineering during construction, are beginning to play a role in determining the extent and type of remediation that is possible. As the complexities of specific project sites increase, it is natural to expect the complexities of investigations to increase, however the simple solutions are still the best. Stabilisation or securing of old mine workings in the South West has become an issue in recent decades due to deterioration of old mine workings, end-of-life of earlier securing works and the pressure on available land for construction of new developments. This presentation reviews some of the traditional options

available and the application of relatively new engineering techniques in the stabilisation and securing of the mining legacy.

11:25 – 11:45 Camborne-Pool-Redruth Link Road: A Case Study of Mining, Geotechnical and Contaminated Land Issues by Emma Blakesley The CPR link road has been a project over 10 years in the design and construction. The project has involved the input of CORMAC’s Engineering Services Limited (ESL) from an early assessment of the extensive risk from historic mining activity, initial desk studies, geotechnical, mining and contaminated land investigations that evolved with the various designs through to the remediation of mining features, geotechnical stabilisation of a tailings dam and geotechnical advice and investigation for the structures and earthworks along the 2.4 km length of this predominately new road. This presentation will focus on the investigation methods involved, the extent of the mining remediation works and the importance that good communication and local knowledge had in the design and construction process.

11:45 – 12:05 The Mundic Problem: Principles and New Practices by Rachel Garside and Dan Berriman The discovery of mundic degradation can be a significant stumbling block in the conveyance process and can even prevent a mortgage approval all together. We will provide an overview of the problem, a detailed look at the analytical process and discuss the recent changes to the RICS Guidance Notes and the implications for home owners. The presentation will illustrate what is being looked for at each stage of the Mundic Test in order to evaluate whether a specific property is considered vulnerable to concrete decay and detail the multiple routes a property can take in order to be considered mortgageable.

12:05 – 12:25 Minerals and Planning by Chris Tofts This presentation looks at the tools used to protect minerals development and how these can alert property purchasers of potentially incompatible development.

12:25 – 12:45 Dealing with Land Contamination in Cornwall: The Local Authority Perspective by James Langley and Miles Randall Land contamination, if not dealt with adequately, can pose a serious threat to the health of the environment and the people who inhabit it. The presentation describes how Cornwall Council identifies and deals with contaminated land in the region, the most common form of which is a result of the former mining industry. The presentation will consider the legislative options available to deal with land contamination and will discuss the key principles of the management of land contamination and its relationship to brownfield development in Cornwall.

Speakers

Tony Bennett BSc CEng MIMMM ACSM Cornish Chamber of Mines & Minerals Tony is a Chartered Mining Engineer who, since graduating from Camborne School of Mines in 1980, has spent his professional career based in Cornwall. After graduating, Tony became Technical Engineer for the Hot Dry Rocks Geothermal Energy project near Falmouth, where he remained until 1991. He currently works for EGS Energy Ltd as Operations Director for the proposed deep geothermal power plant at The Eden Project. Tony also worked at Cornwall Consultants Ltd for 17 years undertaking risk assessments based on historic maps and plans and compiling a comprehensive record of historic Cornish mines. He is a Director of the Cornish Chamber of Mines & Minerals. Tony is enthusiastic about Cornish heritage and for the past 37 years has been actively involved with the restoration of Rosevale Mine near Zennor. He is also the author of a book on one of Cornwall’s richest tin mines, Wheal Vor.

Dr Keith Russ PhD BEng(Hons) ACSM MCSM Western United Mines Limited Keith is the Technical Services Engineer at Western United Mines Ltd, who operate South Crofty Mine, where his role includes survey control and updating working plans and sections of the former South Crofty Mine. He is a twice graduate (Mining Engineering) and former lecturer of the Camborne School of Mines and a past president of the Cornish Institute of Engineers. Since 2001 he has worked for Baseresult Holdings and then Western United Mines Ltd as part of the team trying to restart deep mining in Cornwall. Keith has a keen interest in all things mining and especially Cornwall’s mining heritage.

Dan Berriman BSc (Hons) Cornwall Consultants Limited Dan is the Managing Director of Cornwall Consultants Ltd. He graduated with a degree in Geology and Physical Geography from the University of Luton before gaining valuable geotechnical field experience in Ireland. He joined Cornwall Consultants Ltd in 1997 as a Geologist and since that time has been involved with all aspects of the business, from desk-top mining searches, trenching and drilling site investigations, contamination and geotechnical studies, through to commercial development. Dan has considerable experience in assisting with mining subsidence risk appraisal and claims and supervising the identification and remediation of old mine workings. He is adept at communicating technical aspects of mining risk assessment, management and remediation to a range of audiences, including engineers, architects and individual clients.

Chris Massie BSc CEng MICE MIStructE Consulting Engineer Chris has practised as a consultant civil engineer in Cornwall since the 1970s and has a wealth of experience of working on challenging sites across the region. He has been involved with the assessment, design and supervision of major road and infrastructure projects, strategic buildings, heritage sites, as well as sea defence and retaining structures. Chris has an established local reputation in the application of engineered designs to the remediation of mine workings and unstable ground. Notably, Chris was instrumental in an extensive mine capping programme in Cornwall. He is also practised in modified foundation design, slope stability assessment and sustainable urban drainage (SUDS) schemes.

Emma Blakesley BSc MSc MCSM CORMAC Solutions Limited Emma is a Geo-Environmental Engineer in the Engineering Services Laboratory (ESL) of CORMAC Solutions Ltd. She has worked for CORMAC for 9 years dealing with geotechnical, contaminated land and mining issues, predominately on Cornwall Council’s infrastructure of roads, public open spaces, offices and schools. She is one of a team that between them have over 60 years’ experience of mining investigation and remediation alongside geotechnical stability of structures and slope stability specific to the ground conditions present due to the varied Cornish geology. Prior to CORMAC, Emma worked for 5 years at Cornwall Consultants Ltd, undertaking Mining Searches, Mining Investigations and Contaminated Land Reports and previously for Western United Mines Ltd as a Mining Geologist, for 4 years, after completion of a MSc in Mining Geology from Camborne School of Mines.

Rachel Garside BA MSci, Petrolab Limited Rachel joined Petrolab as a Project Mineralogist in 2014 after obtaining an MSci Geology degree from the University of Cambridge. Since that time she has been involved in all aspects of the business, from mundic testing and assisting with sample preparation to examination and reporting on a wide variety of materials, including aggregate, concrete, rock and metallurgical samples. She has experience using both optical microscopy and SEM analysis techniques according to the requirements of the job. Currently she is responsible for the majority of the materials reporting at Petrolab, including all the Stage 2 Mundic Testing.

Chris Tofts BEng, Stephens Scown LLP Chris is a Partner and head of the Planning team in the Truro office of Stephens Scown. Formerly a legal advisor to a Mineral Planning Authority and now employed by a firm founded to serve the minerals industry, Chris has experience in mineral specific planning and environmental matters. He advises mineral companies of all sizes, from small start-ups to Imerys Minerals Limited and is instructed by operators and Mineral Planning Authorities across the UK on matters from minerals Permitted Development rights to ROMPs, EIA and Modification Orders. Recent highlights include acting for Wolf Minerals Limited on their new tungsten mine and bringing a £multi-million Modification Order claim against an MPA to a successful conclusion.

James Langley BEng (Hons) MSc MIEnvSI CSi ACSM Public Protection, Cornwall Council

James is a Senior Officer in Environmental Protection at Cornwall Council. He has over 15 years of specialist experience as both a consultant and a regulator and has managed a multitude of contaminated land site investigations and remediation projects. James is highly experienced in all areas of land contamination management, including preliminary risk assessment, human health and controlled waters detailed quantitative risk assessment (CLEA, SNIFFER & EA P20 Methodology). James is a founding member of the South West Contaminated Land Forum.

Miles Randall BSc (Hons) MSc CIEH, Public Protection, Cornwall Council

Miles is an Environmental Protection Officer at Cornwall Council. He is a contaminated land specialist with 5 years’ experience as a regulator and a background in the project management of contaminated land site investigations. Miles has experience in all areas of land contamination management including preliminary risk assessment, human health and controlled waters detailed quantitative risk assessment (CLEA and EA P20 Methodology). Miles is highly experienced in the peer review of land contamination information for the Local Planning Authority, having dealt with over 400 applications in 2015 alone.

The engine house at Heartlands

The engine house at Heartlands was built in 1903 to accommodate an 80” (cylinder diameter) Cornish beam engine. This engine was built in 1854 by the Copperhouse Foundry, in Hayle, and was originally installed at Wheal Alfred Consols, near Hayle. It was designed by the engineer Samuel Grose and cost £2,700, plus £700 for the two 12 ton boilers that provided the steam. In 1864 the engine was sold and was moved from Wheal Alfred Consols to Crenver & Abraham United Mines, near Leedstown, where it became known as ‘Pelly’s Engine’. It continued working here until the mine closed in 1875, after which it remained idle on site until it was purchased in 1881 and moved to Owen Vean & Tregurtha Downs Mine, near Goldsithney. After a few repairs had been undertaken, it was started in early 1883 and was christened ‘St Aubyn’s Engine’. In 1889 its engine house was gutted by fire, but surprisingly the engine was undamaged. It continued to work intermittently until the mine finally closed in 1902.

The engine was bought by South Crofty Mine in 1903 to be installed on their principal shaft, named Robinson’s Shaft. Now known as Robinson’s 80”, it worked continuously for 50 years, operating the pumps to an eventual depth of 2,020 feet (337 fathom level) and delivering 310 gpm at an average stroke rate of 5 spm.

This historic engine finally ceased operation on Sunday 1st May 1955, when it was replaced by electric pumps. It was the last operating beam engine to be used in Cornwall. Most of the former beam engines employed on the metal mines in the South West have been scrapped, but this engine, with its chequered history of over 100 years, is one of only a few that remain in-situ and are available to view.