The Great Snaefell Mine, also referred to as the East Snaefell Mine, was a zinc mine located high in the Laxey Valley on the slopes of Snaefell Mountain, in the parish of Lonan, Isle of Man. The mine reached a depth of and is remembered as the scene of the Isle of Man's worst mining disaster in 1897.
History
Mining for metals on the Isle of Man probably began as early as the Bronze Age. Early sites have been identified at Langness and at Bradda Head, where copper could be seen outcropping in the cliffs.
Snaefell Mine was situated at the eastern foot of Snaefell; the mineral vein was originally discovered in the bed of a stream. The mining sett was 567 acres (229 hectares) in area and was originally a portion of the Great Laxey Mining Company's property. The sett was surrounded by that of the Great Laxey Mining Company and ran parallel with the Great Laxey lodes.
At the pit head there was a washing floor, fitted with washing and dressing appliances, together with a diameter waterwheel. The mine's buildings were the Mine Captain's house, two cottages, an agent's office, a smithy and a carpenter's workshop. A lead store was also erected.
The mine was worked by a main shaft, which followed the dip of the vein. The shaft was rectangular, and divided into three compartments: the middle one was the ladderway; one other compartment was used for winding ore, and the other compartment for the pump and the compressed air pipes. The ore would be wound up in a rough wooden kibble.
In the shaft the ventilation was natural, driven by the higher temperature underground compared to above ground. The general tendency of the air current was down the shaft to the bottom of the mine, and up through the various winzes (intermediate shafts) to the adit level. The open end of the adit had been connected to a sloping wooden chimney on the hillside, by which means the draught was increased.
The shaft was originally sunk to a depth of 15 fathoms, subsequently being extended to over 100 fathoms () with levels extended respectively at 25, 40, 50, 60 and 70 fathoms north, and at 60 fathoms south. The 40 fathom () level was driven to 96 fathoms (), passing through a long run of ore which was followed by a rich find of lead ore in the mine during further working in 1871. In addition an adit level was driven north at a distance of 160 fathoms () to intersect with a very large east–west lode, with another adit driven south to 70 fathoms. After a new working was opened at the 75 fathom () level in 1873, a substantial discovery of rich silver ore was made.
Extraction of the ore had begun in 1856; the mine was originally worked by the Great Laxey Mining Company until 1864. The Snaefell Mining Company was then formed to work the mine, but by the late 1860s it was in financial difficulties, and it went into liquidation in 1870. The whole mine was then bought for £4,000 by James Spittall, Alfred Adams, Thomas Wilson and Henry Noble, directors of the Great Laxey Mining Company, who then formed the Great Snaefell Mining Company in 1871. The company's capital was £25,000, in 25,000 £1 shares. About 50% of the shares were taken up by shareholders of the former operator, and the other 50% by directors of the Laxey Mines, such as Spittall and Henry Noble. The chief engineer of the mine (referred to as the Captain of the Mine) at this time was Henry James.
The cost of extracting ore from the mine continued to plague operations, and in 1883, following continued financial difficulties, the Great Snaefell Mining Company also went into liquidation.
The operation of the mine was then taken on by the newly formed Snaefell Mining Company, which had been registered on 24 December 1883. The principal shareholders were essentially those of the previous company, who had taken advantage of a clause in the company's articles which empowered the directors to sell their shares, to then have them re-sold to a third party, and then transferred to the original shareholders. A meeting of the shareholders was subsequently held; and the plan arranged was submitted to and adopted by the meeting. The difficulties of this arrangement were eventually overcome, and 6,000 more shares were issued.
1897 Disaster
By 1897 the Snaefell mine had become increasingly difficult to work, due to insufficient ventilation (the lowest depth of the mine shaft by this time was 171 fathoms (). This ongoing problem had become increasingly acute as the various levels were driven further from the main shaft. During the preceding two years the mine had had to be closed during the hottest part of the summer, usually in July and August.
