Excursion Cornwall 2025

Cornwall, in the southwest of England, is one of the historically most significant mining regions in Europe. Since the Bronze Age, the extraction of tin and, in particular, copper has shaped the region’s economic and cultural development. Today, the mining landscape of Cornwall and West Devon is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is once again attracting attention in the context of modern raw material exploration, particularly for lithium.

This excursion report describes the one-week field excursion to Cornwall undertaken in October 2025 by students and staff of the Institute of Mineral Resources Engineering at RWTH Aachen University. The report contains individual contributions on the different excursion sites, written by the respective participants.

The trip, which took place from 7 to 11 October 2025, included visits to the Camborne School of Mines at the University of Exeter, surface visits to active lithium, tin, and industrial minerals mining and exploration projects, and insights into mineral processing and environmental technologies. This included, for example, the mine water treatment facility at Wheal Jane. The programme was complemented by visits to historic mining sites such as the Geevor Tin Mine and excursions to the former mining district around St Just and Botallack.

The excursion provided participants with direct insights into Cornwall’s geological development, its mining heritage, and its current and future role in mineral extraction. The visit fostered a deeper understanding of mining education and industry-research collaboration, connecting academic content with practical experience.