▁of ▁ore ▁was ▁worked . ▁ ▁The ▁various ▁mines ▁under ▁the ▁company ' s ▁ownership ▁continued ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁rich ▁yield , ▁resulting ▁in ▁a ▁profit ▁of ▁£ 1 4 , 2 6 7 ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁which ▁equ aled ▁approximately ▁ 2 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁company ' s ▁capital . ▁The ▁company ▁continued ▁to ▁achieve ▁a ▁profit ▁throughout ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁although ▁the ▁amount ▁decl ined ▁in ▁part ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁st agn ation ▁in ▁the ▁price ▁of ▁ore . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁the ▁ore ▁ris ings ▁for ▁the ▁year ▁amount ed ▁to ▁ 3 , 6 1 0 ▁tons ▁yield ing ▁a ▁profit ▁of ▁£ 1 0 , 8 0 0 — an ▁increase ▁of ▁£ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁operation — and ▁producing ▁a ▁divid end ▁of ▁ 7 . 5 %. ▁ ▁The ▁yield ▁from ▁the ▁mines ▁began ▁to ▁decl ine ▁significantly , ▁however , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁ore ▁was ▁failing ▁to ▁cover ▁the ▁exp enses ▁of ▁coal , ▁labour ▁and ▁other ▁su nd ries . ▁Indeed , ▁the ▁situation ▁had ▁become ▁so ▁ac ute ▁that ▁the ▁direct ors ▁decided ▁to ▁stop ▁operations ▁unless ▁the ▁men ▁agreed ▁to ▁a ▁reduction ▁in ▁w ages . ▁ ▁Despite ▁the ▁men ▁having ▁accepting ▁reduced ▁terms ▁and ▁conditions , ▁the ▁mines ' ▁yield ▁continued ▁to ▁dram atically ▁decl ine , ▁and ▁in ▁April