Lochwinnoch Copper Mines

On 13th April 1849 William Montgomery advertised for sale the lands of Meikle Cloak. Various attributes were highlighted including the fact copper ore had been found on the property. Although the vein had not been explored it was believed there was a “considerable abundance” of ore. It was stated an English company had begun mining on the adjoining land and the operations were about 100 yards from the march fence. In 1836 Mr Montgomery had published an “Essay on the Geology of Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire” in the Prize Essays of the Highland Society. In it he discusses the abundance of copper deposits in the area.

It is reported in September 1848 that a rich vein of copper ore containing up to 15.5% copper had been found. It was traced to the lands of Mr J Glen of Kaim. The vein ran east to west and was 10 ft wide. It was believed the vein continued into the lands of Mr Orr, also of Kaim. In the other direction it appeared to reach the lands of Cloak and possibly as far as Tandlemuir. From the adit many tons of ore had been excavated and sent to the English market. Inferior ore had been stockpiled to be processed by a crushing plant which was under construction. The vein ran for some 600 yards and several shafts were dropped 200 ft to intersect with the adit. The location of the Kaim mine is shown below.

Nothing is reported again about mining copper in this location till April 1861. A celebration is held for extracting 100 tons within three months of commencing work at the Lochwinnoch Consols Mines at East Kaim. Twenty persons are reported employed with double that number expected shortly. The copper discovered is described as of the “most astonishing character”. Positive reports continued through the year leading the shareholders to reap good dividends and invest further capital in the mine. In July of 1861 it is reported large quantities of copper ore are sent monthly to market in Swansea where it is smelted to extract the copper. An example of the price achieved in Swansea December 1861 is shown below.

In May 1861 further copper deposits are found on the Castle Semple estate and are being worked by two companies employing Cornish miners. The ore is very pure with yields from 22% up to 60%. The Calder Glen United mines as they are called are located in the field behind the Bridgend cottages.

It was reported that in 1859 there were 171 copper mines in the UK which extracted 236,789 tons of ore and produced 15,770 tons of copper at an estimated value of £1,734,700. This represents an average concentration of 6.7%. This concentration and those found in Lochwinnoch are exceptionally high. Copper sulfide ores mined today contain less than 1% copper. Although copper has been in use for at least 10,000 years like many industrial revolution statistics 95% of all copper ever mined and smelted has been extracted since the start of the industrial revolution. It is the 25th most abundant element with an estimated 1014 tonnes in the first kilometer of the Earth’s crust. At current extraction rates that’s enough for 5 million years however economic reserves are around 25-60 years.

As part of the excitement generated by the mines around Lochwinnoch a company was formed called the West of Scotland Mining Company. Its purpose was to find and exploit metallic mineral deposits. It had no links to Consol, West Kaim or Calder Glen United but quoted these in its prospectus as justification for its formation. One of the first locations they proposed to explore was around Clovenstone. In April 1862 shares in the Consol mine and Calder Glen United Mines were being offer to the public for £5 each. In March 1862 shares in the West Kame (note spelling) mine are advertised (see below). West Kame and Consol are adjacent to one another and seek to exploit the same vein. Operations commenced at both at the same time, January 1861.

The prospectus for West Kame is shown in the following four images which include a drawing of the mines.

Newspapers continued to report in glowing terms about the ore being extracted. An example form 13th September 1862 is shown below.

Discussions were now taking place about erecting smelters in the area to remove the cost of transporting large quantities of raw ore south to market. Indeed a smelter was established to improve profitability. There was a report in June 1870 of an accident at the smelter in which two of the men were seriously scalded, the manager received a blow on his side and the watchman had two ribs broken. However, within a year the Consol mine was abandoned and Lochwinnoch’s copper Klondyke was coming to an end. On 2nd July 1863 the mine and its equipment was up for sale.

Kaimes Copper Mine continued for a while but it to closed its door as so many Lochwinnoch industries have done. It was formally closed in 1878. An 1882 mine document describes 47 tones of copper ore being sold to pay for the upkeep of the mine.

The 1860’s were a desperately sad time for Lochwinnoch because the mills were struggling due to the American civil war. Many were out of work and “notwithstanding the beauty of the location many houses were to let, and others stood in a crumbling condition without roofs”. Perhaps the exuberance around the mines was driven by the hope they brought for better times. There is more about these hard times in the section on the textile mills.