Preparing for the School Mining Games

Preparation is well underway for this year’s Cornwall School Mining Games, with 20 of our 2nd Year pupils kickstarting their training last week with a pre-event visit to the King Edward Mine Museum, the venue for the upcoming competition.

During their visit, pupils enjoyed a fascinating talk from John Polglase, a former surveyor at South Crofty Mine, who shared insights into Cornwall’s rich mining heritage. This was followed by a guided tour of the museum, where they learned about historical mining methods and the traditional techniques they’ll be using in the Games.

In the afternoon, pupils rotated through a series of practical sessions to try their hand at the six key disciplines featured in the Games: mucking, hand steeling, mineral processing, panning, sawing, and surveying.

Back at school, these pupils continued their training at lunchtime under the guidance of our Geology prefects to hone their skills in each of the disciplines. Weekly practices will run until the event on 19 June, and we’re looking forward to watching the teams grow in confidence and ability over the coming weeks.