Team:Exeter/Description

Introduction

The Consolidation Mine forms a part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site. After collapsing in 1992, it has been abandoned and currently contains approximately 220 000 m³ of tailings. Numerous controlled water risk assessments show that the site is causing pollution of waters by leaching of arsenic, cadmium, copper, chromium, iron, lead, nickel and zinc through the lower lagoon (the site consists of two lagoons separated by three dams) into the St. Day stream. The stream is a tributary of the Carnon River, carrying the harmful metals across Cornwall and, eventually, into the La Manche Channel. The site is also regularly used by motorcyclists and four wheel drivers. It is in close proximity to numerous footpaths, commonly used by walkers and mountain bikers, who are exposed to the threat through inhalation, ingestion and dermal absorption pathways from soil. Although the mine was proven to be a harmful site after an environmental quality inspection conducted by the Environment Agency in 2007, not much has been done in order to decrease its influence on the surrounding areas.

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