.jpg)
Approaches have been made over the last two years to landowners in the Carleen area by Cornish Tin Ltd and, more recently, landowners in the adjacent area have been contacted by a company called Godolphin Exploration Ltd.
1) Do not be bullied into signing a land access agreement till you have informed yourself about your rights. Any such agreement is in the interests of the mining company - not necessarily yours and you are not under any obligation to sign anything. Their offer of a financial incentive will be equivalent to ‘loose change’ as far as they are concerned and is purely to ‘persuade’ you.
2) Check out the legitimacy of the mining operation. Recent approaches to landowners by some mining operators show no details of who they are or what their organisation does.
3) Consider your neighbours! How would they feel if exploratory drilling took place on your land?
4) Talk to your neighbours. It is easier to say ‘no’ if you know that’s what other people have done.
5) If a company tells you they have the mineral rights to your land, ask them to produce documentary evidence of this.
6) Remember it is your right to decline survey work on behalf of the exploration company.
7) If you enter into correspondence with the mining company, consider copying your correspondence to Cornwall Council Mineral Planning Authority since it is they who will be considering the application by the mining company.
We know that an approach from an exploratory mining company can be intimidating, so take your time. There are a lot of local people who can offer you support. Contact ‘Protect Wheal Vor’ via the website protectwhealvor.org
or email protectwhealvor@gmail.com
or phone the Great Wheal Vor Community and Environment Group
on 07756 018947