Cornwall Takes Global Mining Crown – You Won’t Believe What They Achieved in 3 Minutes

Published On: 25 March 2025Last Updated: 25 March 2025By CornishStuff

📷 CSM Men's Team Winners (Photo Credit Media Memories)

International spotlight on Cornwall as Camborne School of Mines dominates Mining Games

Cornwall was front and centre of the global mining world last weekend as King Edward Mine Museum (KEM) hosted the 47th Intercollegiate International Mining Games (IMG) on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd March 2025.

Despite battling through “appalling weather conditions”, hundreds of spectators turned out to support 45 fiercely competitive teams from across the globe – each made up of six participants – in a weekend of tough, traditional mining challenges.

It was a huge triumph for Cornwall’s Camborne School of Mines (CSM), who were crowned champions in both the Women’s and Men’s events.

Cornish Women Lead the Way

📷CSM Women's Team Mucking (Photo Credit Media Memories)

The first day of the competition was dedicated to Women’s and Co-ed teams. After a winter of intense training, the CSM Women’s team took the top spot in the Women’s event, pushing back strong contenders from Montana and Colorado.

Their accuracy in the surveying event was singled out as the best of the entire competition – a testament to the quality of their preparation.

Montana Tech’s Orphan Girls placed second, and Colorado’s Women’s team came third.

Co-ed Competition Draws Crowds for Jaw-Dropping Drilling Display

In a hotly contested Co-ed category, teams from North America led the scoreboard. South Dakota Hammerschlagen 2.0 claimed victory, leaving the crowd stunned during the airleg drilling challenge.

Using a Holman 303 drill, the team managed to drill over five metres into concrete in just three minutes – further than any of the men’s teams – in what was described as an exceptional display of practice and skill.

Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Rangers came second and the University of British Columbia secured third.

CSM Men Power Through to Victory

On the second day, 23 Men’s and Alumni teams took on the same gruelling events. The CSM Men’s team proved unbeatable, clocking the fastest time for the track stand – under four minutes – and taking first place in both the mucking and surveying categories. These wins led to their overall victory in the Men’s event.

Western Australia School of Mines’ Wombats Men’s A team impressed the crowd in the sawing event, slicing through 6” by 6” timber in under a minute with five competitors, earning them second place. The Mackay Muckers from Nevada, USA took third.

Alumni Success for South Dakota and CSM

The Alumni competition was won by South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Two teams from CSM – Anchored by Britannia and Cousin Jacks – claimed second and third places respectively.

Spotlight on Future Careers

Many industry sponsors attended the event to identify up-and-coming talent and talk to students about career opportunities in the mining, geology and geoscience sectors – not just in Cornwall, but across the UK, Australia and North America.

This year saw new entrants to the competition from Germany, including TU Bergakademie Freiberg and Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola from Bochum, as well as the University of British Columbia.

“A Fantastic Result for Cornwall”

“It was a privilege for King Edward Mine to host this high profile event and welcome competitors and their families from all over the world,” said KEM Trustee, Carol Richards.

“All the early morning starts, aching legs and frozen hands paid off in this fantastic result for Cornwall. We send our warmest congratulations to CSM’s Women’s and Men’s teams who triumphed in the competition as well as the CSM students who worked so hard to organise the event during the past year.

“We pay tribute to the scores of KEM volunteers as well as the competitors, supporters, sponsors, organisers and spectators who helped to make the event such a success and joined us in celebrating Cornwall’s prowess at such a prestigious international competition.”