and Wheal Uny The Great Flat Lode lies under the southern
granite slopes of Carn Brea and so named because the tin-bearing rock was at an unusually shallow
gradient of about 10
degrees to the
horizontal. In other parts of Cornwall mineral bearing
lodes lie at between 60 and 90 degrees to the horizontal. "Lode" is a
mining term for a
mineral vein. Its small gradient allowed for optimal location of the mines. The minerals were accessed by the South Condurrow Mine (later renamed
King Edward Mine and used by the
Camborne School of Mines),
Wheal Grenville,
South Wheal Frances Mine and the
Bassett Mines. The mines were started to obtain copper ore but at greater depths tin was obtained. Many of the mines
amalgamated and continued production until the
First World War. ==Trail==