Mining Chimneys - Who Made them?

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G'day Stephen,

Being a 4th generation South Australian, I well knew of the cultural heritage of the chimneys in the 'Copper Triangle' area of SA.

But I was not aware of the significance of square versus round chimneys.
Ya' learn somethin' new every day. Thanks Stephen.

Did a welshman start the top one. ;)

Mount Rose copper mine up in the northern Flinders

Old copper smelter chimneys exist at Glassford Creek, near Many Peaks. I guess they were Welsh .. :)

Glassford Creek

Stephen, now you have to tell us who designed the Mt Morgan stack which is octagonal. Was it a collaboration between the welsh and the cornish.

Strange that something I was told many years ago as a west country boy in the UK clicks the old memory button into rewind...

In the 70's I went to do some HVAC work in a mine and asked an old fella why the stacks were round, as the area I came from Gloucester had a mixture of round an square.

He told me:

Round stacks building labour cost more than twice as much to build as square chimneys per 1000 bricks.
Square stacks are cheap to build, but because the way that smoke swirls in the chimney, a square chimney must be higher to get the draw to get the coal fire hot.

There was an abundance of coal in Wales so inefficient stacks made little operating cost difference.

Square chimneys also are less suited to high wing areas.

Cornwall, unlike Wales had to ship its coal from Derby or Wales for smelting, that became costly, so the more efficient round 'Cornish' round chimney were built and they could be shorter and stronger in coastal areas where there is high winds. Have you ever seen a square light house?

I didn't ask why the forge and office was square, but out of respect I left it, I did also find out that the Tin Miners also built stacks to vent the mines, there was no gas like coal but good fresh air cooled the mine and got rid of much of the dust.

In Cornwall they are called Stacks not chimneys.

A mine usually had 3 stacks, pumping, hauling and stamping.

Chimneys are on houses .

The round shape is more efficient that's why the Cornish used it because they had no coal of their own and had to transport it all in.

In Wales they had lots of coal so just built square ones as they were cheaper to build.

Cheers
Mike

Thanks Stephen, you might end up getting a new job!






Took these photos about 2 years ago. Mt Mulligan is the site of a 1921 mine disaster when 75 miners lost their lives in a coal dust explosion. Sombre sort of place these days but well worth a visit if you're in the area.

The mine started in 1913, was worked until 1921, then re-opened in 1923, and worked by the State Government till 1957.

Looks like the Cornish built this stack?

Bob