The Miners Association was founded in 1858 by Robert Hunt FRS, and the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society. The Association was formed to create a body that would discuss, develop, address the needs and represent the hard rock mining industry within the south west region of the United Kingdom.

History

Within the first year of existence The Association took the name ''Miners Association of Cornwall & Devon'' to also represent the interests of the mining community of the counties of Devon, which had strong links within Cornwall. Later the Miners Association changed its name to the Mining Institute. The date of this name change is not known, although it was before 1887.

Achievements of the Association

*Within the first year of the Association's existence it set about trying to address the need for improved skills and education within the mining community. The Association's answer was the creation of classes in different mining areas of Cornwall. *In 1876, after extensive discussions by the Association,

George Basset George Basset (), of Tehidy in the parish of Illogan, near Redruth in Cornwall, was an English politician. He was a Member of Parliament for Launceston, Cornwall, in 1563 and 1572, and for Bossiney, Cornwall, in 1571. He was patron of the a ...

made a bequest to enable the building of a laboratory in

Camborne Camborne ( kw, Kammbronn) is a town in Cornwall, England. The population at the 2011 Census was 20,845. The northern edge of the parish includes a section of the South West Coast Path, Hell's Mouth and Deadman's Cove. Camborne was formerl ...

. This laboratory was to be used to improve the teaching of the Miners Association's pupils. *The establishment of the

Redruth Redruth ( , kw, Resrudh) is a town and civil parishes in Cornwall, civil parish in Cornwall, England. The population of Redruth was 14,018 at the 2011 census. In the same year the population of the Camborne-Redruth urban area, which also inc ...

Mining School in 1882. *In 1887 J. J. Beringer delivered a lecture to the Miners Association, now called the Mining Institute, in which he outlined new proposals for the establishment of a Mining School. *In 1888 The Association founded The Camborne Mining School, which still exists as the Camborne School of Mines. *The

Penzance Penzance ( ; kw, Pennsans) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated ...

Mining School was established in 1890, following Sir Humphry Davy's contribution to the mining industry. *Robert Hunt Memorial Museum erected to the memory of Robert Hunt in

Notable members of the Association

*Dr

Clement Le Neve Foster Sir Clement le Neve Foster (23 March 1841 – 19 April 1904) was an English geologist and mineralogist. Life and work Le Neve Foster was born in Camberwell, the second son of Peter le Neve Foster (for many years secretary of the Society of Art ...

Assistant Secretary *

Joseph Henry Collins Joseph Henry Collins FGS, (16 March 1841 – 12 April 1916) was a British mining engineer, mineralogist and geologist. He died at his home, Crinnis House, near St Austell, on 12 April 1916 and is buried in Campdowns cemetery, Charlestown.''Tra ...

Lecturer and Assistant Secretary 1868 * Robert Hunt FRS 1858 establishments in the United Kingdom Miners' Association Cornish mining organisations Miners' Association Miners' Association Camborne School of Mines {{Cornwall-org-stub