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The unfenced site is owned by Shropshire Council and managed on a day to day basis by Shropshire Mines Trust. In its heyday it was one of the biggest and richest lead mines in the country.
The mineralised vein, which is at a very steep angle of 70 to 80 degrees, runs roughly from the Village Hall up the valley to the top of the hill and lead ore, galena, was the main mineral mined. At depth zinc ore, sphalerite was found and a small amount of this was extracted. In the last days of the mine some barites was also mined.
With the vein being at a steep angle it was easy to mine but as the workings got deeper shafts were sunk and levels were driven along the vein at roughly 40 Yard intervals. The miners worked up the vein so the ore was brought down to the level, loaded on to trucks and pushed to a shaft where it was lifted up for processing. Originally there was a smelter at Pontesford and this was replaced by a smelter built some ½ mile North of Snailbeach.
With the vein being at a steep angle it was easy to mine but as the workings got deeper shafts were sunk and levels were driven along the vein at roughly 40 Yard intervals. The miners worked up the vein so the ore was brought down to the level, loaded on to trucks and pushed to a shaft where it was lifted up for processing. Originally there was a smelter at Pontesford and this was replaced by a smelter built some ½ mile North of Snailbeach.
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