Around 4000 yeas ago, people living in what is now Northern Wales discovered green stone found in the rocks here could be used for the production of Bronze. As a result, this new age metal began taking the world by storm!
For nearly a thousand years, miners extracted the ore from the site. Eventually, they reached the water table level but did not have the technology to remove the water efficiently to continue operations. As a result, this limitation and the emergence of iron as the next greatest metal led to the decline of the mine.
However, people never fully abandoned the site. During the industrial revolution of the 19th century, the invention of machines able to pump out water meant mining could resume during Victorian times. Over time, developers transformed the town into a seaside resort and the mine was covered with dirt excavated from other construction projects.
In 1987, land surveys began in preparation for a parking lot and the Victorian mine was used to survey the depths. Artefacts uncovered led to the realization that the mine was much older than previously thought and a gold mine, er, copper mine, for historians, geologists, archaeologists and more burst onto the forefront of research.
Getting There
Location: Llandudno, Wales along the northern coast
Transport: The nearest major airports would be Liverpool (65 miles) or Manchester (75 miles). Travelers can arrive by train at Llandudno station, and you can take a taxi from there. It is also very well sign-posted for arrival by car and plentiful parking is available at the site.
Highlights
Must-See:
- Self-Guided Tour (45-60 min)
- Visitor's Center & Tearoom
- Smelting Shelter to see how ore becomes bronze
Rise of the Bronze Age
Because early bronze items were found in Bulgaria and Serbia around 4000 BC, most scholars believe the Bronze Age began in the Balkans. The technology spread from there to China, Mesopotamia and Eqypt and continued to Europe, Britain & Ireland by about 2100 BC.
Prior to this, people were using stone tools (during the Stone Age) for thousands of years. Eventually metals like copper, tin, gold and silver which could be more easily shaped were used. However, they were too soft for most applications and limited advancement. Ancient metallurgists revolutionized society with their discovery of techniques that could strengthen and harden pure metals.
Mining at Great Orme
Ancient miners used granite stones found on the nearby beach to remove and crush up the limestone and extract the green malachite. Malachite is a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral which can be polished for jewelry or ground up and used as a pigment.
When malachite is heated with charcoal, the reaction releases carbons dioxide and produces high-purity copper. The process of heating ore to extract metal is called “smelting”.
The American Chemical Society published an experiment for high school chemistry classes to smelt your own copper using common household items. I love when my degrees in chemistry and history join forces!
Prehistoric Mining Techniques
More than 3,000 prehistoric tools from the mine have been uncovered since it was found in 1987. I imagine it must have been incredibly tedious to mine by hand using stones or animal bones to scrape and grind up the ore.
One technique used to break up the rock faster was a process called “firesetting”. Miners knew heat could weaken the rock, so they would set fires in the tunnels to make the rock crack for easier removal.
Researchers uncovered charred evidence in the mine during their excavations. Scientists completed carbon dating of the material which confirms firesetting was used at the Great Orme Mine.
Touring the Great Orme Mine
A really nice Visitor’s Center gives you some additional background on the Bronze Age and what the region was like 4000 years ago. Originally, Orme was an open-pit mine, meaning people removed what they could see on the surface. Eventually, they had to follow the ore underground and tunneling began.
Since its discovery in 1987, more than 5 miles of underground tunnels have been uncovered. This makes Orme the largest prehistoric mine known in the world!
Manny tunnels are incredibly narrow. Experts believe children as young as 5 or 6 years old would have been involved in mining these areas.
Bronze Age Mine Touring Tips
The self-guided tour takes you through one of the more manageable pathways, but it’s probably not great for someone who is claustrophobic. Since the tour follows a one-way path, visitors won’t need to squeeze past other people – just rocks!
I would estimate you end up probably 30-40 feet underground, so the temperature is constantly cool year-round. To stay safe underground, bring a jacket and wear sturdy shoes as the tunnels are damp and slippery year-round.
Definitely keep your hard hat on. I’m 5′ 11″ and my husband is over 6 feet tall and we bumped our heads a few times! You do have to navigate sloping tunnels and some stairs: about 50 steps each way to enter and leave.
Victorian Era Mining
With the invention of mechanical pumps in the 1820’s & 30’s, mining at Orme could resume. Miners could now dig below the water table, pumping out the water as they went.
Operations continued until the 1850’s, when economic pressures forced the mine to close. Less expensive copper found abroad, difficulties keeping water out at these depths, and higher wages working at seaside resorts in town ultimately led to the closure.
The self-guided tour will take you past the deepest, Vivian’s shaft. Nearly 500 feet straight down, the shaft is covered with a protective grate to prevent accidents.
Research Continues
It’s pretty exciting to think this site has only been excavated more a little more than 30 years.
In addition, Archaeologists continue to study the site, uncovering new insights each year. It will be neat to see what is uncovered as the work continues!
Post Sources:
Great Orme Bronze Age Copper Mine website. Accessed 18 July 2021.
Historic UK website. Accessed 18 July 2021.
Malachite. www.geology.com. Accessed 18 July 2021
Lumen Learning courses: The Bronze Age. Accessed 18 July 2021.
Are you a fan of ancient history? The pyramids in Egypt are younger than the Great Orme Mine, but what’s a thousand years between antiquities?
