Sygun Copper Mine, Beddgelert

Sygun Copper Mine is a Victorian copper mine which closed in 1903 but was renovated and reopened as a tourist attraction in 1986, focusing on audio-visual tours of the underground workings. Sygun Copper Mine was once a main supplier of minerals in Wales. Mining in the area started in Roman times, with small-scale tunnels into mineral veins. These were left relatively untouched until the Industrial Revolution when the tunnels were dug deeper into the hills largely due to rising demand for copper. In 1836 the annual production of ore was valued at £2,800. By 1862 2,000 to 3,000 tons of ore had been extracted from the mine. The entrance to the mine was reopened in 1983 and restoration work began in autumn 1986.
12/10/2022