When James Henderson presented his paper ‘On the Methods Generally Adopted in Cornwall in Dressing Tin and Copper Ores’ in 1858, by his own admission it was to update the classic 1832 paper ‘On the Manipulation to Which the Ores of Tin and Copper are Subjected in the Central District of Cornwall’ by W. J. Henwood. Henderson not only described new processes and methods in great detail, but included carefully observed and beautifully executed drawings of the equipment used, and of their operators. Transcribed here, his paper gives a rare insight into the operations at surface of the tin, copper and lead mines of the mid 19th century. For the mining historian or engineer there is much to glean from the text and illustrations. We are also reminded of the importance of the role and skill of the ore dressers; usually women, children, and miners who were no longer fit for work underground.
