China-clay works, Devon and Cornwall

BGS Image ID: P200171

Lantern China-clay Works, near Rescorla, St. Austell. Looking SW. View of lower part of clay-pit. This photograph, taken down in the pit, shows the stream of water, by which the clay is washed out of the decomposed granite travelling down the stope and from thence through the sand-pits to the 'bottom hole launder', whence it is pumped to the surface. The sand-pits are only partly visible in the photograph, but the annexed diagram shows the direction of flow of the water.

BGS Image ID: P200203

Hendra Downs China-clay Works, St. Dennis. Looking N. Team and waggon with load of clay.

BGS Image ID: P2009710

Old photograph number: A09799   1962

China clay workings, Great Pit, Lee Moor, south Dartmoor. General view of china clay-pit showing systems for disposal of waste sand; (1) right, old inclined railway to large 'burrow', and (2) left, new covered conveyor belt to small burrow (sited on ground having low clay yield). China clay is formed by the kaolinization of granite, a process of late hydrothermal alteration where acid solutions moved along the joints in the granite and caused the plagioclase feldspars to be converted to kaolinite. The name kaolin comes from the mountain Kauling in China where the material was discovered. Large scale exploitation began in the 18th century. Recently the industry has become intensively mechanized.

Posted by Bob McIntosh

China Clay works, Lantern Pit and Cleaves Pit, North Cornwall, April 16th 1914

BGS Image ID: P804212

Lantern Pit, North Cornwall, April 16th 1914

BGS Image ID: P804218

Cleaves Pit, North Cornwall, April 16th 1914.

China clay is a material called kaolin and was used to make fine white porcelain. The extraction of China clay in the St. Austell area was one of the great extractive industries in Cornwall.

Bob McIntosh