Ecton Mine fieldtrip – Minsouth + SEG Central London
Saturday 6th December 2025
Last December, Minsouth alongside the Central London SEG student chapter and the Ecton mine education trust took 12 students on an educational tour around Ecton mine, a historic mine located in Staffordshire.
Students arrived at midday from London and were given a brief history of the mine and its workings dating back to the bronze age. The mine is Copper-Lead and has been worked for these ores. After a safety induction and risk discussion, the students and geologists went down to the mines bottom entrance, where the layer is flooded due the mine being decommissioned.
What followed was a tour across the mine’s various levels given by the local geologists, highlighting the structural geology of Ecton hill, leftover ore as well as overall geology of the area. The history of the mine was explained comprehensively, describing the methods miners used to pump water from the mine, the tracks that minecarts once used, and the historical direction miners took to find economically viable ore.
Ecton mine is decommissioned and maintained as a scheduled monument as well as being of scientific and educational interest. The mine is maintained to ensure safety and preserved heritage, with equipment still being found there today.
“The Ecton Mine trip was very interesting and enjoyable. Seeing the historical working conditions firsthand was humbling, while the geology of the site was truly captivating. The geologists were extremely helpful and knowledgeable, which really added to the experience. Overall, it was a great trip and chance to meet other students with similar interests.”
– Iris Baker, UCL Earth Sciences
Thank you to Richard Shaw, Steve Henley and Mike McLoughlin for making the field trip take place.
By Archie Taylor – SEG Central London, UCL