The Miners Association was founded in 1858 by Robert Hunt

Robert Hunt (scientist)

Robert Hunt , a scientist and antiquarian, was born at Devonport, Plymouth, in the United Kingdom. He was involved in statistical, mineralogical and other studies. He died in London on 17 October 1887.-Early life:...

 FRS, and the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society

Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society

The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society is an educational, cultural and scientific charity, based in Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The Society exists to promote innovation in the arts and sciences...

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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

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

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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

Devon

Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...

, which had strong links within Cornwall

Cornwall

Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...

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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 made a bequest to enable the building of a laboratory in Camborne
  Camborne
  Camborne is a town and civil parish in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is at the western edge of a conurbation comprising Camborne, Pool and Redruth....
  
  . This laboratory was to be used to improve the teaching of the Miners Association’s pupils.

• The establishment of the Redruth
  Redruth
  Redruth is a town and civil parish traditionally in the Penwith Hundred in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has a population of 12,352. Redruth lies approximately at the junction of the A393 and A3047 roads, on the route of the old London to Land's End trunk road , and is approximately west of...
  
   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
  Camborne School of Mines
  The Camborne School of Mines , commonly abbreviated to CSM, was founded in 1888. It is now a specialist department of the University of Exeter. Its research and teaching is related to the understanding and management of the Earth's natural processes, resources and the environment...
  
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• The Penzance
  Penzance
  Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
  
   Mining School was established in 1890, following Sir Humphry Davy’s
  Humphry Davy
  Sir Humphry Davy, 1st Baronet FRS MRIA was a British chemist and inventor. He is probably best remembered today for his discoveries of several alkali and alkaline earth metals, as well as contributions to the discoveries of the elemental nature of chlorine and iodine...
  
   contribution to the mining industry.

• Robert Hunt Memorial Museum erected to the memory of Robert Hunt
  Robert Hunt (scientist)
  Robert Hunt , a scientist and antiquarian, was born at Devonport, Plymouth, in the United Kingdom. He was involved in statistical, mineralogical and other studies. He died in London on 17 October 1887.-Early life:...
  
   in Redruth
  Redruth
  Redruth is a town and civil parish traditionally in the Penwith Hundred in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has a population of 12,352. Redruth lies approximately at the junction of the A393 and A3047 roads, on the route of the old London to Land's End trunk road , and is approximately west of...
  
  .

Notable Members of the Association

• Dr Clement Le Neve Foster
  Clement le Neve Foster
  Sir Clement le Neve Foster FRS , English geologist and mineralogist- Life and work :Le Neve Foster was born at Camberwell, the second son of Peter le Neve Foster...
  
   Assistant Secretary
• Joseph Henry Collins
  Joseph Henry Collins
  Joseph Henry Collins FGS, , mining engineer, mineralogist and geologist. Of Cornish descent, he was born in London.-Career:He was at various times the secretary or president of the three learned societies of Cornwall - Royal Geological Society of Cornwall , the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society...
  
    Lecturer and Assistant Secretary 1868
• Robert Hunt
  Robert Hunt (scientist)
  Robert Hunt , a scientist and antiquarian, was born at Devonport, Plymouth, in the United Kingdom. He was involved in statistical, mineralogical and other studies. He died in London on 17 October 1887.-Early life:...
  
   FRS

Still being researched