South Caradon Mine worked from 1837 to 1885. It was the extraordinary copper riches found at South Caradon Mine that were responsible for the rapid development of the Caradon Mining District. Over a period of fifty years its copper output ranked third in Cornwall
The granite dome of Caradon Hill dominates the surrounding countryside. Engine houses, chimney stacks and thousands of tonnes of waste rock tips encircle the hill. As does the bed of the Liskeard and Caradon Railway, built to link the mines with the copper-ore port of Looe.
The commercial success of the South Caradon Mine sparked a rush of mines being named with the magic word "Caradon" in their title. They were seeking the same lodes as South Caradon and hoped to attract investors. A practice that became known as "market mining". Mines that sprung up, but that were never hugely sucessful included:-
* Caradon Consols
* Caradon Vale
* East Caradon
* Great Caradon
* New West Caradon
* Glasgow Caradon Consols
* New South Caradon
* The Caradon Mine
* West Caradon Mine
* Wheal Caradon Mine
Of these mines East Caradon, West Caradon and Glasgow Caradon proved to be the more successful.
| EAST CORNWALL: Bodmin Moor, Caradon & Liskeard | |||
| Name of Mine | Principal Shafts | Chief Produce | Notable Minerals |
| Caradon Great Consols (West Rose Down) | COPPER | ||
| East and West Caradon | COPPER | ||
| South Caradon | Jope's, Kittow's, Rule's, North Engine, Clymo's, Pearce's and Engine shafts | COPPER | |
| Glasgow Caradon Consols | COPPER | ||
| Craddock Moor Mine, St Cleer | |||
| Gonamena | Rickard's and Jope's shafts | COPPER & TIN | |
| Hawkswood Mine (Hawk's Wood Mine), North Hill | |||
| Marke Valley | Salisbury's Shaft, Old Engine Shaft | COPPER & TIN | |
| North Herodsfoot | SILVER-LEAD | Galena | |
| Great Onslow (Great Michell) Consols, St Breward | |||
| Parson's Park Pit (Parc St Neot Pit) | |||
| Penhale Mine | |||
| Phoenix United Mines | Prince of Wales, Seccombe, West's, & Old Sump Shafts | COPPER & TIN | Manganese |
| Great Roughtor Consols, Davidstow | |||
| Sharptor Mine, Linkinhorne | |||
| Treburland Mine, Altarnun | |||
| Tregardock | LEAD & COPPER | Galena | |
| New Trelawny Mine, St Ive | |||
| North Trelawny Mine, St Ive | |||
| Shallow Water Mine, Blisland | |||
| Trevaddoe Tin Mine, St Neot | |||
| Wheal Bray, Altarnun | |||
| Wheal Jenkin | TIN | ||
| Wheal Ludcott, St Ive | |||
| Wheal Mary Ann, Menheniot | |||
| Wheal Trelawny (incl. Wheal Honey), Menheniot | |||
| Wheal Vincent, Altarnun | |||
| Wheal Wrey, St Ive | |||