Resources to accompany KS3 Teachers ... - Geevor Tin Mine

GTM 2010
Resources
To accompany Key Stage 3 Teachers’ Pack
for ‘Using Geevor as a Resource’
1. The Dry—sights and sounds
2. The Dry—What were they saying?
3. Working with stones and minerals
4. Detective work
5. Geevor Tin Mine—The undercover story
6. Human impact on the environment
7. Landscape
8. Smelter’s Marks
We hope that you find the booklet useful. If you have any more questions
please feel free to contact either Rebecca Gardner (Learning Team Manager
at Geevor) or Ruth Fletcher (Leader of Humanities at St Ives Secondary
School)
E-mail: rfletcher.hum@st-ives.cornwall.sch.uk
E-mail: learning@geevor.com
Geevor Tin Mine, Pendeen, Penzance, Cornwall. TR19 7EW
Tel: 01736 788662 Fax: 01736 786059
For learning enquiries, email: learning@geevor.com
For booking enquiries, email: bookings@geevor.com
Visit our website http://www.geevor.com for what’s on and
for more information and resources.
Pendeen Community Heritage is a company registered in England & Wales with company No: 4202906.
Registered Charity: 1087755 - Vat No: 782039129
Registered address – Bojewyan House, Pendeen, Penzance, Cornwall TR19 7TR
This booklet was developed as a result of a 5-day reciprocal Learning Links Placement (2009/2010) between
Pendeen Community Heritage at Geevor Tin Mine, & St. Ives School: Technology College. Part of
Strategic Commissioning funding from the Museum Libraries and Archives Council (MLA).

Resource 1 GTM 2010
FACTS
The Dry Room
Sights Sounds

Resource 2 GTM 2010

Resource 3
GTM 2010
VARIETIES OF CHALCEDONY
CARNELIAN
TIGERS EYE
AGATE
‘BLOODSTONE’
METAL ORES
CASSITERITE
(TIN ORE)
HEMATITE
(IRON ORE)
GALENA
(LEAD ORE)
CHALCOPYRITE
(COPPER ORE)

Resource 3
GTM 2010
GOLD
METALS
IRON PYRITE
(“FOOL’S GOLD”)
NATIVE COPPER
NATIVE SILVER
VARIETIES OF QUARTZ
AMETHYST
ROSE QUARTZ
ROCK CRYSTAL
AVENTURINE

Resource 3
GTM 2010
VARIETIES OF QUARTZ
SMOKY QUARTZ
CITRINE
WHICH OF THESE MINERALS
CAN YOU FIND
IN THE PANNING
TRAYS???....
QUARTZ
METALS METAL ORES CHALCEDONY
Visit the Geevor Tin Mine website to find out more about these metals and minerals
www.geevor.com

GTM 2010
Resource 4
Detective Work
Hard Rock—The Story of Tin
As you enter the museum take some time to look at the model of the local landscape.
What do you learn about mining and the rich mineral deposits in the
area?
Go to your right and have a look at the exhibits on
minerals and ores. Then make your way into the next room and look for the following
information.
What is an alloy?
_______________________________
What two metal ores make the following:
• Bronze = ________________________
• Pewter = ________________________
For how long has tin
and copper been mined
in this area?
_________________
• Brass = _________________________
Find some object in the display cases made of tin and draw them

Resource 4
GTM 2010
Inventiveness
What is one of the waste products of tin
and copper ore?
Sketch the wallpaper pattern that was made of this waste
product
_________________________
What could this be used for?
_________________________________
________________________________
When were tin cans I
invented?
______________
What were goose quills used for in mining?
______________________________________________
What inventions have helped miners at their work over the years?

Resource 4 GTM 2010
A Miner’s Life
What was a Balmaiden? What did they do? Describe
their appearance
What was a ‘pare’?
Children and mining
1839
Menu for a miner
1842
What dangers and health problems did miners face and what was
the average life expectancy?

Resource 5
GEEVOR TIN MINE : UNCOVER THE STORY.....
Describe the conditions down the modern Geevor Tin Mine
(Hot/cold/wet/comfortable?)
Would you have wanted to be a modern tin miner? Explain why .....
In the Mineral Gallery
Rocks are formed in many different ways and circumstances, this variety
makes them look very different and have very different properties form
one another
Explore the different minerals and complete the tasks below
Name your favourite mineral
If you had to describe the mineral to someone else what words would you use?
(Hard/soft/rough/smooth/shiny/dull/colour)
What shapes can you see in the mineral? Draw the shape of the mineral and /or of the crystal in it in
the box below
GTM 2010
Now find a partner, get them to find your mineral using only your descriptive
words, can they find the right rock? Remember not to let them see the name!
Was your description good enough?
Find 5 facts about Cornish Tin Mining/ the people that worked in the mines/
or Geevor that you think are cool!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Resource 5
Objects can tell stories as well, many in the museum are much
older that you!
If you had to tell your class about the story of Cornish Tin Mining which three
objects would you pick to help you tell the story and why were they so important?
Name of object How does it help you to tell your story? What was its use?
Draw one of the objects in the space below:
GTM 2010
Delve deeper under the surface, look beyond the photo and the
object, each has lived a life of its own, a life longer than yours...
What have they been doing with their time? Can you bring them
back to life?
As you go around the Hard Rock Museum notice the faces looking back at you
from the photos, some are old, some young, rich or poor. Choose a face that stands
out to you and use the boxes below to bring that face to life.
Looking at the person you have chosen:
What is the persons name? If you don’t know what do you think they could be called?
What job did they do at the mine? Do you think the job was hard or easy and why?
Describe what clothes they are wearing. Are they clean/dirty, old or new?
What does the expression on their face say to you? Are they happy/sad/proud/tired? How old do
you think they are?
Do you think the persons life was hard or easy and why?

Resource 5
GTM 2010
Hard Rock Museum Floor plans

Resource 5
GTM 2010
Hard Rock Museum Blank Floor plans
Ground Floor of Hard Rock Museum
Peninsula of
Minerals
Cornwall’s Mining
Heritage
Entrance
Stope
Model
Cinema
Mine Model
Stairs
Lift
Hard Rock
Mining
Exit
1st Floor of Hard Rock Museum
Toilets
Geevor
Story
Oral
History
Pod
Hard Rock
Gallery
Processing
Lift
Stairs
Exit

Resource 6
GTM 2010
Human impact on the environment
As you wander around the site you will notice the stark contrast between natural and man made environment.
Below make some sketches of the shapes you notice that are man made and those which are
natural.
Natural
Comments
Man-made
Comments

GTM 2010
Resource 6
Man-made
Comments
Natural
Comments

Resource 7
GTM 2010
Landscape
Find a suitable spot on site to sit down and draw a general sketch of the landscape. Remember you can add to it later so just get
the basic details down. Try to show the interaction between man and the environment in your picture. So for example you could
have the sea in the background and catch a chimney of a mine in the foreground.

Resource 8
GTM 2010
Cornish smelters’ house marks
The black tin powder was taken to the smelters where they turned it into
ingots of white tin. Imprinted on to the ingots was the name of the smelting
house and often an animal. The lamb and flag and the pelican are the
most well known designs. Also used were mythical and heraldic creatures
such as the phoenix and unicorn as well as the plume of feathers and 15
balls (the emblem of Cornwall today).
The Phoenix
The lamb and flag
The camel
The Geevor Goat
The pelican
The lion
In the 1970’s inspired by the tin smelters
designs, Geevor came up with the mythical
creature – The Geevor Goat. The Geevor
Goat has the head of a goat and the tail of
the fish. It has the head of a goat because it
is believed that the name Geevor is derived
from the Cornish word for goat, and they
also used to graze goats around Geevor. It
has the tail of a fish to represent the mine
workings that go out underneath the sea.

Resource 8
GTM 2010
Mirror Writing
In order for the ingots to have to have readable ingot
marks on the final ingot, the words and designs are actually
placed backwards into the ingot mould.
For your ingot, cut out your card design as normal and
just flip it over and it’s instantly backwards!
Mirror