SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE
The Trust works in partnership with local land owners, tenants and other organisations, such as The National Trust, Historic England, and Peak Park Authority to preserve and restore the important historical and environmental features of Ecton. Volunteers and contractors work to keep the Ecton hill safe for visitors and livestock.
When visiting Ecton (and any other historic mining area) please be aware that fences and shaft caps may become unstable and previously unknown hazards may become active. Always remain at a safe distance from workings and never throw stones or other items down shafts, there may be people below. If you spot a hazard on the hill please contact a trustee and report it.
The mine workings fall within the scope of the Mines Regulations 2014. The Trust is the mine operator and all the regularly visited areas of the mine are inspected for safety by qualified trust members and periodically by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Mines. All activities in the active areas of the mines are assessed for risk and are managed by competent persons. Access to all other mine workings on Ecton hill is controlled by the trust; please do not attempt to remove barriers or shaft caps to gain access. The mine infrastructure needs constant maintenance – of shafts, fences, and ladderways. The Trust is also actively improving the facilities and the fabric of the G A Cox Study Centre. Maintenance is expensive and it is only with the continuing support of our corporate and institutional members that Ecton can maintain the required high levels of safety for those attending courses, for those visiting Ecton for scientific research, and for the general public. The physical implementation of safety measures – erecting and maintaining fences, capping shafts, ensuring safe access to the mine and the study centre – is done or managed by a small number of enthusiastic, experienced, and qualified volunteers.
In October 2018, a major operation was undertaken to restore the outermost 15 metres of the Deep Ecton adit, which was progressively becoming dangerous, with the use of ‘temporary’ steel supports. The work had become uregnt because of gradually growing bulges in the drystone walls of the arched outer section of the adit.
The powder house, where dangerous explosives were stored. This small shed was placed well away from other buildings and was erected in 1884. The interior was originally lined with wooden panels as an added precaution against accidentally creating sparks.
was lowered on one side and it was converted to a field barn. The steam engine was located in the far half of the building, while its boiler was in the near half. A short distance upslope there was a small reservoir pond for the boilers fed by water brought up from the mine.
In the 1760s-80s the internationally important Deep Ecton Copper Mine made a fortune for the Dukes of Devonshire. The first copper was mined here long before, in the Bronze Age over 3,500 years ago. The Dukes, who owned northern and western parts of the hill, had their mines worked in-house for over 50 years from 1760. From the 1820s private mining companies embarked on a fruitless search for further rich ore deposits. The mines were finally abandoned in 1889. While the 19th century ventures lost investors’ money, with them at best only finding other peoples’ leavings, they kept local miners in work for decades.
Peter has nearly 50 years experience mostly at the sharp end of the minerals industry. He is a metallurgist who started in the steel industry prior to his degree at Cambridge University. He held senior positions with Anglo American on the Zambian Copperbelt, and at Glebe Mines fluorspar operation in the Derbyshire Peak District; and has been an independent freelance since 2000. He has had connections with Ecton Mine and Geoff Cox since the mid-1980s. He is Secretary of The British Aggregates Association, a member of the CBI Minerals Group and the UK National Minerals Forum; and has various business interests in the industrial minerals industry in the UK, Europe and globally; and is also a Director of MAUK (Mining Association of the UK) and Amemptos Music.
I am an exploration and mining geologist (C. Geol) with over 25 years of experience in the deep geological disposal of radioactive waste and 7 years of experience of exploration, environmental impact assessment and mining feasibility for the Kayelekera uranium deposit in Northern Malawi, Africa. I retired from the British Geological Survey in 2016 and am currently a member of the Government’s Committee on Radioactive Waste Disposal. I undertook a PhD on caves and mines in the Peak District and, as an active caver and mine explorer, have been studying the underground world of the Peak District since the mid 1970’s, including the mines of the Ecton Area. I am a director (editor) of the Peak District Mines Historical Society and the mine manager of their Temple Mine in Matlock Bath.
mongst geologists and others involved in the application of geoscience, particularly through the promotion of professional titles such as CEng, CGeol, and EurGeol. She has served on the Council of the Geological Society of London and is a past President of the European Federation of Geologists. For many years, she has been a member of the Pan European Reserves and Resources Reporting Committee (PERC).
Phil in Organic Chemistry, Nottingham Uni 1977-79, awarded 1981
I am a geoscientist with more than 45 years of experience. After working as a mine geologist in the Yorkshire Coalfield for 12 years, I moved on to seismic exploration for coal, potash and other minerals focussing on seismic interpretation and delineating geological structure to aid mine planning. My prospect experience includes projects in UK, Spain, Turkey, Australia, Africa, Argentina and Canada.
ng and engineering around the world. Although I am now retired I continue to hold Board appointments with national and international regulatory and standards organisations which I find professionally stimulating and thoroughly rewarding.