Number 65 September 2014 The Russell Society is a society of amateur and professional mineralogists which encourages the study, recording and conservation of mineralogical sites and material. Registered Charity No. 803308 The Russell Society Website www.russellsoc.org
So Much
From So
Few Clicks! RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER Russell Society Newsletter Number 65 September 2014
CONTENTS: Page No
Society Health and Safety Policy ...... 2 . Editorial ...... 3
From the President ...... 4
Society Notices
Obituary: Tom Levinson ...... 5 The 2014 Russell Medal: Dr. Frank Ince ...... 5 2014 Maisemore Event ...... 6 2015 Russell Society AGM Weekend ...... 6 2014 Russell Society AGM: Summary of the minutes...... 7 The Russell Society Website ...... 8 New General Secretary - Michael Dunmore ...... 8 The Newcastle University Mineral Collection ...... 9
News Items
The Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd Auction - The Sale of the Century? ...... 11 Amazing Diamonds - and Amazing Prices ...... 12 Work starts at Drakelands Mine ...... 12 £1.56 Million Lottery Grant approved for the Lapworth Museum ...... 13 New book on the minerals of the Cairngorms ...... 13 Possible fluorescent mineral event in 2015 ...... 14 Complete set of Mineralogical Record available ...... 14
Short Reports and Papers
Minerals and the dark side of some old masters ...... 15
Meeting and Field Trip Reports ...... 16 - 32
List of Sites visited: 2006 to 2014 ...... 33 - 36
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 1 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
The Russell Society Health and Safety Policy:
Adopted by Council 27th September 2009.
• It is the policy of the Russell Society, so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure that health and safety issues as applicable to the Society have been and will be properly addressed.
• All members of the Society are to take reasonable steps for the H&S of themselves and others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
• All members of the Society are to co-operate with the Society, so far as is reasonably practicable, to enable the Society to comply with any duty or requirement imposed on it.
• In the event of an accident or injury members of the Society should seek the appropriate medical attention and notify Society officials who will properly document all details.
• Any member of the Society can bring to the attention of Society officials any suggestions or ideas which could improve safety and prevent accidents.
One of the aims of the Russell Society is to encourage the study, recording and conservation of mineralogical sites and material. Among the various activities undertaken in pursuit of this aim, members make many field visits to sites around the country and attend many lectures and other in- door meetings. The Russell Society promotes a high degree of responsibility amongst its members in the achievement of its aims, especially with regard to Health and Safety (H&S) matters.
It has
A Health and Safety Policy A Field Leaders Indemnity Form A Risk Assessment Form An Incident Report Form A Guide to Good Practice A Field Visit Check List
These documents are to encourage enjoyable and interesting visits and meetings that are educa- tional, involve conservation and recording, and are incident free. They also show the responsible attitude that the Russell Society and its members have to health and safety issues.
The views and opinions expressed in this Newsletter are those of its correspondents, and are not necessarily agreed with or shared by the Editors, the Council, the Russell Society or its Members. The accuracy of submissions is the responsibility of the authors or Society branches and will not necessarily be checked by the Editor for validity.
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 2 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
Editorial
Well, another year has moved on. Already the Summer is winding down and we’re heading into Autumn. I hope you have all had a good, enjoyable and profitable (mineralogically speaking) collecting season so far. It’s not over yet, of course, there are a number of RS field trips still scheduled through September and October (see centre insert). In this issue I have produced a listing of all the field trip reports that have appeared in the Newsletter from 2007 (the last time such a listing appeared) to the present. Please remember that specific permissions are necessary to collect at most of these sites. I have been out on field trips more than a dozen times so far this year - almost a record for me – and, although I have not found a huge amount of “head-turning” specimens, I have had a great time in the open air, in pleasant company and (usually) pleasant weather. I have also been reminded on more than one occasion that any rock with red spots is of potential interest as it indicates that you are losing blood and ought to do something about it.
I always think of the Autumn as the “show season” and this year there are the usual excellent and educational mineral shows at Oxford (14th September and 30th November), Bakewell (11th and 12th October) and Hayward’s Heath (15th November) to brighten up the shortening days. You really should try to attend one or more of these if you can. I can’t resist inserting here a blatant “plug” for Hayward’s Heath in particular, which is the only UK show regularly to feature a display of UV fluorescent minerals. If you are there, you must leave the main halls long enough to visit the dark back room which houses spectacular cabinets of UK and World minerals glowing in all the colours of the rainbow. It’s worth a look – really!
Earlier in the year I was one of a motley group of UK collectors who visited the annual mineral show which totally takes over the small town of St. Marie aux Mines in the Alsace, France. This is an amazing and worthwhile experience which I would recommend to anyone who has not been there. It provides an exposure to the full spectrum of European and World mineral collecting and dealing – a good antidote to incipient parochialism. There are truly huge amounts of interesting material available at prices ranging from things even I can afford to those that make your head spin. It was an altogether mind- broadening experience.
One thing which I noticed particularly this year was the large number of organised school parties being taken around the show. The children appeared to be taking a real and sensible interest in the exhibits and I wondered how many of them might be developing a lasting interest in minerals and mineralogy in the years ahead. “Catch ‘em young” seems to be a motto well worth considering – I wonder how it would work in the UK?
In this issue, along with a goodly number of field trip and meeting reports, you will also find further information on future events, notably the joint event in October organised by Cheltenham Mineral & Geological Seen at St. Marie. Specimen of rhodochrosite Society and the Wales & West Branch of the RS at Maisemore in from the Sweet Home Mine, Colorado. Yes - the Gloucestershire. It’s sure to be a great day if you can make it. You ticket does say €18,000! I didn’t buy it. might also be interested to se the details (regrettably not complete at the time of writing) of the Mindat Symposium planned to coincide with the Sussex Mineral Show. - keep an eye on the Mindat website In addition there is further information on the Society’s AGM weekend for 2015 – also to be held in Gloucestershire - which I hope you will all make strenuous efforts to attend.
I am grateful to everyone who sends in copy for the Newsletter. However, I would (as always) like to see more of it. I can’t help noticing that there is a rather unseemly number of items from “the Editor” in this issue. I would like to see a lot more different members’ names appearing. Those of you out there who have come across interesting mineralogical morsels, stories about people, places or processes - or whatever - are cordially invited (strongly urged, even) to jot something down and send it to me. The copy deadline for the next issue (March 2015) is 15th of January. Plenty of time to flex those fingers and polish those subordinate clauses. Those of you for whom we have an e-mail address will shortly be receiving a pdf version of this Issue which I hope you will look at. However you read it - please enjoy your Newsletter.
Michael Doel
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 3 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
From the President:
The field trip season is nearly over and we have been blessed with one of the best summers for quite some time. Attendance on field trips continues to be good indicating their popularity, but unfortunately the same cannot be said about the winter meetings.
There is a worrying decline not just in attendance at branch meetings, but also in involvement on committees. The society was founded in the Midlands in the early 1970s and the Central Branch has always had a large and active membership base, but now even they are struggling with attendance at meetings.
A few years ago Roy Starkey noted a degree of apathy amongst our membership and sadly I see fewer and fewer people being called upon to do more and more work.
Some of the branch committees have changed little over quite a long period of time, sometimes because they are working effectively as they are, but perhaps sometimes because people are ‘scared’ to be involved. It is clear that without new committee members being involved branches can slowly decline as has happened recently in the Southeast. There are many different reasons for this, but we need to encourage new members to take an active involvement in what we do. Without this it won’t just be the winter events that decline in number, but also the field trips – we cannot continue to rely on just a few members to organise everything.
Every branch does things differently and there has never been a one-size fits all approach: some hold meetings in member’s houses, others in village halls or in council offices.
The Wales and West Branch went through a transition nearly ten years ago with attendances at winter evening and weekend events in Cardiff dwindling to unsustainable levels. The decision was taken to cease having a winter programme and instead to provide a full day of talks, displays, swaps and food in late October nearer to the ‘core’ membership. Instead of an average attendance of 4 or 5 the ‘Maisemore’ event attracted many more and is now an annual event with attendance usually in the region of 50.
The organization of such an event still requires a core of volunteers, but can bring rewards in terms of new members and new enthusiasm. With a much greater involvement I have once again established a ‘Winter Programme’ for the Wales and West Branch which will involve meetings at museums. My plea is for you all to think about getting involved with Branch activities otherwise there will be no activities.
On a different note, I would like to remind those who attend field trips of the importance of documenting what is found. There appears to be a view that if nothing is found then there is no need to write a report - well, in a scientific sense a report documenting nothing can be as important as one describing a new discovery – in much the same way as scientific experiments don’t always produce the expected results. It is also important, where landowners have given us permission, to provide a record of what we have found (or not in some cases). I personally have trawled through old newsletters to obtain information about sites which are now long disused and this ‘resource’ of information is of interest to the current owners of quarries and geoconservation groups.
Finally, the Wales and West Branch have been preparing to host the 2015 National Annual Society Meeting and have a fine selection of events lined up for you. The theme of the meeting is ‘Historic British Mineral Collections’ and there will be talks and displays provided by some of Britain’s best known museums. I hope that this topic will stimulate plenty of interest as it is one very much close to my heart.
Tom Cotterell Hon. President
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 4 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
SOCIETY NOTICES
OBITUARY: Tom Levinson (1947 - 2014)
I have to report the sad news that Bristol-based Wales and West Branch member Tom Levinson died suddenly on 21st February 2014, age 67.
Tom joined the Russell Society in 1997 and was a regular attendee on Wales and West Branch field trips during my early years at the National Museum of Wales from 2000 onwards. He also travelled further afield to collect in Ireland and Scotland. Tom was a keen collector of many things and, likewise, his interest in geology spanned both minerals and fossils. I fondly remember discussing with him sites in the Forest of Dean where he had found Carboniferous age plant fossils.
His collecting interests continued to change and geology took a back seat after about 2007, but he made sure that his rock collection was well labelled. Tom is survived by his wife Alison, son Richard, and two grandchildren.
Tom Cotterell.
Dr Frank Ince - Russell Society Medal 2014.
Russell Society President Tom Cotterell presenting the 2014 Russell Medal to Dr. Frank Ince. It was with great pleasure that I presented Frank with the Russell Society medal at the ASM in Portland.
Frank joined the Russell Society in the mid-1980s, but rose through the ranks quickly. He was elected as President of the society in 1987 a position he held for a year.
Frank’s involvement with the society resumed, in 2001, when he took on the important role of General Secretary. He continued in this capacity until 2009 when he became Journal Manager a position he continues to occupy today. The quality of the journal is testament to Frank’s dedication and thorough approach to work. At a local level Frank has been active with the Central Branch for many decades but more recently, from 2013, has also served as Chairman.
Outside of the Council and Committees of the Russell Society Frank has been actively involved in the preservation, conservation and recording of historic mineral collections within the Midlands. He worked with the Central Branch during their work with the Chatsworth House mineral collection and has been involved with the National Trust in assessing the minerals at Calke Abbey. Frank has also, for many years, volunteered for the British Geological Survey at Keyworth where he has catalogued various mineral collections including that from the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall.
One of Frank’s many mineralogical interests is that of the minerals of Leicestershire and he has published many articles
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 5 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER describing sites throughout the county. His research follows on from the pioneering work of Dr Bob King, the founder of our society, and has led to many new discoveries some within material collected by Dr King himself.
Tom Cotterell.
The 2014 “Maisemore Event” - Don’t Miss It!
The annual meeting organised by the Wales & West Branch with Cheltenham Mineral and Geology Society will take place at Maisemore village hall, Maisemore, Gloucestershire on the 19th October, from 10.30 until 16.00.
This very popular event will follow a similar pattern to previous years with one primary exception. As well as a range of speakers we will also be holding an auction. In the last few months a private collection has been offered to us in order to raise funds for the branch and society towards further projects to be tackled in the future. The collection comprises some fine specimens, both mineral and fossil, from locations no longer accessible. A good opportunity to fill those gaps in your collection, perhaps?
We will also have displays, swaps and freebies. Why not prune some duplicates from your collection and bring them along to swap or give to other like-minded enthusiasts. A UV lamp and microscope will be available to use on the day to check any specimens. We provide a comprehensive buffet lunch with plenty of variety to appeal to all, including some vegetarian options. Teas, coffees and soft drinks are available throughout the day. We make no formal charge for the event, including lunch and drinks. However, we hope that you enjoy the day and feel able to give a suitable donation to help us cover costs.
I look forward to seeing you at Maisemore. Friends and family are also welcome but if you are intending to come can you please let me know (Tel: 01452 618015 or e-mail: [email protected]) so that I can bring sufficient food, cakes etc. We are governed by the size of the hall so numbers are limited.
Marashean Parker.
The 2015 Russell Society AGM Weekend - Don’t Miss This Either!!
The Wales & West Branch would like you to join us at Bell’s Hotel, Coleford, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire GL16 8BE, from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th April 2015 for the 2015 ASM and AGM. We will be using 2 large rooms on the ground floor adjacent to each other with our own secure access. These rooms will be used for the conference, AGM, displays and meals on Saturday.
We have arranged discounted accommodation with breakfast at Bells for those who would like to stay there. Most rooms are en suite and 2 have wheelchair access. Twin/Double rooms for 2 guests sharing at £84.60 per room per night Twin/ Double rooms for 1 guest at £80.10 per room per night Single rooms £54.00 per room per night These are to be booked by telephone, mentioning the Russell Society to obtain the discount. Telephone number: 01594 832583. Please note the discounted rate will not be available to on-line bookings.
Teas and coffees will be available throughout the Saturday conference and a buffet lunch will be provided. Facilities at Bells include a bar and restaurant. Delegates can purchase a hot meal of their choice on Friday evening.
For those who are interested, the hotel also has golf and short mat bowls. Rounds of golf can be booked at £15 per round – it is advisable to bring your own equipment but there may be some available for hire from the golf shop. Bowls is £3 per session – again it is advisable to bring your own but there is a limited supply of bowls to borrow. For either of these activities suitable footwear is required and a reasonable party would be needed to book the bowls.
The theme of the talks at the Saturday conference will be old collections housed at various museums around the UK. Some of the curators plan to bring items from the collections to form the conference displays. This is a unique opportunity to view these prized specimens en masse. Full details of the field trips, walks and visits for Friday and Sunday will be on the booking form. Menu choices and costs will also be covered as well as conference fees.
If you need any further information contact Marashean or any W & W committee member.
Marashean Parker.
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 6 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER The Russell Society 2014 AGM. Summary of the Minutes.
This is an overview of the Minutes from the Society’s 2014 AGM. The full Minutes can be found at the Society’s website on the secure members page accessed from http://www.russellsoc.org/pubs.html . Enter the password rs2014pg01 in the box to proceed. Any members who are unable to download a copy of the Minutes via the website; please contact Michael Dunmore for a paper copy - contact details are in the inside back cover.
The AGM was held at The Heights Hotel, Isle of Portland, Dorset on 12th April 2014 and was attended by 38 members; with apologies from 23 members. The Minutes of the 2013 AGM were agreed by all present as a true record of the 2013 AGM. The meeting moved on to hear reports from the officers of the Society:
Tom Cotterell (President) gave an overview of the Society’s position and change during his first year as President and emphasised the importance of growing the membership. Changes to running the Society include Chris Finch standing down as General Secretary following five years’ of dedicated service and Norman Moles handing over the role of Journal Editor to Malcolm Southwood. Speaking of the Society’s publications, Tom stated that they continue to go from strength to strength. Frank Ince has continued to do a fine job managing the publication of the Journal both in terms of presentation and costs. The Newsletter is one of the main forms of communication within the Society and Michael Doel has continued to present the Society’s events and activities; again within budget. Field trips continue to be an important Society activity, with over a third of members attending at least one field trip in 2013. This indicates the Society continues to provide an interesting and enjoyable programme of events. Finances demonstrate the Society is sustainable at the current level of membership without an urgent need for increased subscription rates, but we do need to be mindful of any significant drop in membership.
2014 is the 50th anniversary of Sir Arthur Russell’s death and Tom thanked Roy Starkey who, on behalf of the Society, has written a very informative article about Sir Arthur Russell which has been posted on the Society’s website and circulated on mindat.org. Tom also noted that sadly, over the past year, we have lost several notable members. The most prominent was the founder of the Society – Dr Bob King. Bob’s dedication and involvement in Earth Sciences was so well-known that his obituary was reproduced time and again throughout many organisations and publications. In closing, Tom spoke of his research of the history of mineral collecting in Britain. Long-term this will involve Tom in visiting museums across the British Isles and hopefully lead to Society visits to see some of these collections. Tom has contacted each Branch with an offer of providing a talk about the history of mineral collecting in Britain. It is hoped that these talks will increase attendance at Branch meetings.
On behalf of Vice President Christine Critchley, Chris Finch summarised field trip attendance. In 2013 there were 439 person/visits and 125 different people attending field trips (including 10 visitors). As in 2012, there were no incidents on the field trips.
Chris Finch also explained the continuing efforts to administer the Society in as simple and efficient a way as possible and to adhere to the budgeted level of Council expenses. Council agreed a budget for 2014 at a meeting earlier in 2014, and will use this budget to manage the Society’s activities.
Denis Martin (Treasurer) presented the financial position for 2013; with receipts and expenditure broadly in line with expectations. Denis also stated he is pursuing potential revenue for the Society concerning Gift Aid for 2012, 2013 and 2014. If successful, this will raise the budgeted level of receipts for 2014.
Neil Hubbard (Membership Secretary) provided an overview of membership numbers and trends, noting that the number of members is still falling but not dramatically; with 28 new members in 2013. Neil noted 50 members had not paid their subscriptions by 5th April 2014; providing a total membership of 339. Neil also encouraged members who do not already pay subscriptions by bank transfer to do so and for tax payer-members to Gift Aid their subscriptions.
Norman Moles(Journal Editor) and Frank Ince (Journal Manager) explained the work undertaken in 2013 to produce JRS 16, summarised the contents, gave an overview of the production timetable as well as circulation and costs and revenue. Malcolm Southwood (Journal Editor) was unable to attend the AGM, but contributed to the presentation notes.
Sally King expressed her thanks for the publication in JRS 16 of an obituary of the late Dr Robert (Bob) King.
Michael Doel (Newsletter Editor) presented highlights of the production of Newsletters 62 and 63. Postal costs are a concern for the Newsletter. Michael emphasised that if members request only the pdf version of the Newsletter this will save significantly on both postal and production costs. Michael also noted that articles tended to be submitted by a small
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 7 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER number of authors; encouraging contributions from further members.
Chris Finch stated that at the requested date of 28th February 2014, completed nominations had been received for each Council position for 2014 / 2015. As there was only one nomination received for each position, a ballot of the membership is not required. Therefore the Society’s officers for the next year are:
Office Officer President Tom Cotterell Vice-President Christine Critchley Treasurer Denis Martin General Secretary Michael Dunmore Journal Manager Frank Ince Membership Secretary Neil Hubbard
At the completion of the formal business of the AGM, Tom Cotterell presented Frank Ince with the Russell Society Medal. Norman Moles, Chris Finch and Gary Morse were presented with gifts to recognise their extensive contributions to the Society.
Tom also announced the 2015 AGM would be hosted by the West and Wales Branch at Coleford in the Royal Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire over the 24th, 25th and 26th April.
Michael Dunmore.
The Russell Society Website
I reported in my last President’s report (March 2014) that following 13 years of work Gary Morse would be stepping down from running the Society Website. Gary has done a tremendous job in keeping the site updated and keeping us all informed of events and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him on behalf of the whole society.
Unfortunately, the necessary knowledge to maintain the site in its current form – which requires very specific web authoring skills – has meant that I have been unable to find anyone able to keep the site updated in its present format. However this situation provides us with an opportunity to develop an entirely new website using software whereby updates can be made quickly and simply using standard text and image software.
Central Branch member Martin Bastable has agreed to coordinate the redevelopment and both Michael Dunmore and myself will be involved in the update. Once the new site is established we will be able to form a team to keep the site maintained.
The transition to a new site will take time, but once it is up and running it is hoped that the benefits will justify the outlay of time. Therefore please bear with us while we redevelop the new site.
If anyone has any ideas for what they would like included in a new site then this is the ideal opportunity to have your say. Likewise if you would like to be involved in some way please do get in touch.
Tom Cotterell
Introducing Michael Dunmore, Russell Society General Secretary.
The end of the 2014 AGM marked the time when Chris Finch stood down as the Society’s General Secretary; having served brilliantly in the role for five years. Shortly after that Chris gave me some very helpful hand-over notes and filled my car with boxes of papers.
Amongst the papers was some brief guidance on the role of the General Secretary. It goes like this: “...the executive officer keeping us on the straight and narrow, and perhaps one of the key things will be to act as custodian of the Constitution and amend this as needs be, and to ensure that we all “stick to the rules”.”
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So I hope that in my time in the role of General Secretary I can count on your support in keeping on the straight and narrow by sticking to the rules. As a Society I don’t believe we have many onerous rules. But the most obvious thought here concerns the paramount importance of health and safety for all members. This is a topic that will be returned to in future Newsletters.
Whilst the brief guidance for the General Secretary role suggests an aspect of ‘policing’ and continuing Chris Finch’s focus on streamlining the way the Society works, I believe the role also means being an advocate for the Society. This includes supporting Tom Cotterell in his drive to promote the Society to new members and in developing a new website. Having benefited for many years from the efforts of other people in the Society, I was very pleased to have the opportunity to take on the role of General Secretary and make a contribution to supporting its purpose through my experience in management, marketing and corporate communications.
The Society provides members with a great range of benefits including the Journal, Newsletter, meetings, field trips, socialising with people with a common interest, sharing knowledge and just having fun. Making these activities happen relies on the contributions of many members who volunteer their time and commitment both locally and nationally. Observing two Council meetings showed me just how essential these contributions are. Without them, the Society would not work or exist.
A large part of the role of the General Secretary involves operational and administrative aspects of how the Society works and ensuring compliance with Charity Commission regulations. If you have suggestions on how the Society can work better for current and prospective members, I’d like to hear your thoughts. You can contact me at mgdunmore@ gmail.com.
Michael Dunmore.
The Newcastle University Mineral Collection
I thought the tribute to Bob King in Newsletter 64 was a worthy tribute to a great man, but there was one major omission from the list of achievements on page 12 – the work done by the Northern Branch on the Newcastle University Mineral Collection in the then Hancock Museum. I suspect that this is the biggest indoor project ever undertaken by the Society.
The story starts about the year 1990 with the closure of the Newcastle University Geology Department and the transfer of staff and some collections to Durham. The mineral collection was left behind and spent several years in totally unsuitable locations including a cold damp basement. In 1995, Steve McLean, then curator of the Hancock, persuaded the University to move the collection into the Museum on a long term loan basis. It was installed in a corridor cum storage room in December 1995 and Shelagh and I were invited to inspect it. I expected a student vandalised collection and was amazed to find the first drawer I opened was full of excellent specimens. More of the same followed, but more detailed inspection revealed the problems. The collection and drawers were very dirty, the pyrite had all rotted and worst, many of the specimens and what labels there were had been jumbled up. In fact in some drawers the specimens had come out of their trays and were jumbled up together. Nevertheless, most were not seriously damaged.
Steve got a grant to enable three students to catalogue the collection, but they were not mineralogists. Shelagh and I went through the drawers ahead of the cataloguers, re-uniting specimens with trays and labels, where we could be certain this was right, correcting misidentifications and adding information where relevant. Some of the specimens that emerged while doing this were mind blowing. A lovely fragile double siderite Lady’s Slipper epimorph from Virtuous Lady Mine; how it survived I will never know, (there is an image of this specimen in Vol. 12 of the Journal under ‘Lady’s Slippers’ etc.). A superb Leadhills lanarkite labelled ‘cerussite, bridge girder habit’, a magnificent Boltsburn Mine fluorite, a drawer full of campylite, azurites from Chessy that even this anglophile admired, and many, many more. Alas, the pyrites all had to be rejected, together with several other pyritised specimens, but we also put into a teaching collection material not worth cataloguing, with just a simple identification label. In all 7479 specimens were catalogued over a 7 month period.
Once cataloguing was completed, one Saturday morning we assembled a large contingent of members to nail backs on all the cabinets to keep dust out. The units consisted of 6 drawer cabinets stacked 3 high and there were about 16 stacks, which gives some idea of the size of the collection. 18 drawers were removed from each stack, the units taken down, backs cut to size and put on and then everything reassembled. This then left the cleaning job. Groups of members assembled for one day most weeks and the specimens cleaned drawer by drawer. Most specimens could be washed in mild detergent and then rinsed with deionised water before drying and putting back in cleaned drawers.
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 9 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER Damaged trays were replaced with new ones at this stage. Some delicate specimens were dusted or blown free of dust, but a small number were very delicate and had to be left as they were. Cleaning revealed more errors, e.g. a cassiterite in a sphalerite drawer. I think all this took about 4 years, but the final result was an excellent collection in good condition.
Steve wrote a report on the work in 1999 in Vol. 7, No.1 of the Geological Curator on what he called ‘An Orphan Mineral Collection’. You can Google this if you want to read what he said and the tribute paid to the Russell Society.
The above done, we then worked our way through the much larger Hancock Collection, correcting mistakes and occasionally adding information. By the time that was done, it was time to pack everything up ready for a major refurbishment of the museum. We supervised the packing of all the minerals, but had to get extra help beyond the Society for that. I thought we had a difficult job, until I saw staff trying to safely pack a stuffed lion!
Since the refurbishment the museum has been renamed ‘The Great North Museum – Hancock’. All the collections are now housed in a basement in the Discovery Museum in Newcastle upon Tyne, but it is humidity controlled!
Trevor Bridges
Postscript The work done by Courtenay Smale on the Williams of Scorrier Collection in Caerhays Castle should not be forgotten either.
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NEWS ITEMS:
The Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd Auction – “The Sale of the Century”?
On a pleasant, sunny morning in June, a flock of mineral enthusiasts and collectors from all over the UK descended on the city of Canterbury in Kent to witness a very rare event. The mineral dealership of Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd has a long history; dating back to its foundation by the mineralogist James Gregory in 1878, but 2014 was to mark its last farewell. The contents of its London showrooms, in the form of more than 530 lots, were to be offered at auction under the auspices of The Canterbury Auction Galleries. Lots had been available for viewing over several days prior to the actual sale and a number of people had stayed in town and spent many hours going through the material with a fine tooth comb.
It turned out that this was actually a very sound approach as most of the lots were of the “omnibus” type, consisting of many individual items. The excellent colour catalogue produced by the auction house gave a good overall impression of what was available but some of the descriptions left quite a lot to the imagination. For example: “Lot 292. A Victorian stained pine collector’s cabinet …… containing an extensive collection of quartz specimens” was clearly in need of more than just a passing glance before any decisions on whether to bid – or how much to bid - could be made. In similar vein, a lot The Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd of books with a description containing the phrase “ … and ten other books on minerals sign-board used outside the old and rocks” raised all sorts of intriguing possibilities that needed to be explored. Those London premises. (like myself I’m afraid) who arrived on the morning of the sale expecting to do a “quick whizz round” the showroom were only able to check out a limited subset of “targets” in the time available.
The auctioneers had laid out the sale lots in a couple of basement rooms and had managed to create something of the feel of the original upstairs premises of the show room at 30 Old Church Street in Chelsea - a veritable “Aladdin’s Cave”.
The actual sale got under way at 10:00 with probably 150 people crammed into what was not a particularly large saleroom. A warm day, combined with large amounts of human body heat and rising excitement lead to an interesting atmosphere as the day progressed. The persistence of many (both bidders and spectators) in clinging to their posts throughout suggests Auction lots laid out in the viewing room. Before the that the species Collector Britannice mineralis has evolved the crowds arrived! ability, in times of stress, to dispense completely with the need for oxygen. Proceedings did not end until around 19:00 so this was a day for stamina and commitment.
It was clear from the beginning that many lots were going to exceed (substantially) their pre-sale estimates. It was also clear that those of us in the saleroom were only a minority of the interested parties. The sale had generated significant international interest and a constant flow of internet and phone bids kept almost every item moving briskly. There was frequently the frisson of seeing lots pass through the £1000 barrier and the most expensive item, a notable collection of amber pieces in its own cabinet, realised a “hammer price” of £5000 from a bidder in China.
Much praise must go to the auctioneer, Michael Roberts, for conducting the sale in an enjoyable and efficient manner. He coped admirably with the complexities of internet bidders from around the world, telephone bids, commission bids submitted Things begin to heat up inside the saleroom.
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in advance, and of course those of us actually in the room. At the end, every single item had been sold and the total proceeds of the sale were considerably in excess of expectations. Auction tradition has it that such an event is called a “white glove sale”, the auctioneer being presented with a pair of white gloves afterwards. The tradition was upheld, the gloves being handed to Michael by auction house Principal, Tony Pratt. It was, all things considered, a memorably interesting day and, as one attendee remarked, “something to tell the grandchildren about”.
Thanks to Roy Starkey for providing information and photographs for this short summary. Roy has produced a longer account, with many more pictures for Mindat (see http://www.mindat.org/article.php/2042/ The+%22Sale+of+the+Century%22+-+Gregory+Bottley+and+Lloyd+Auction+-+Canterbury+12th+)
Editor.
Amazing Diamonds – and Amazing Prices!
The Cullinan Diamond Mine, situated about 45 minutes drive north-east of the South African Capital Pretoria, is most famous as the source of the 3107 carat Cullinan Diamond which was discovered in 1905 and was the source of a number of large cut stones, including several highlights of the British Crown Jewels. The mine has long been renowned as a source of large and high quality stones, including many blue diamonds which are exceedingly rare. In June this year the owners (a consortium lead by Jersey-based Petra Diamonds) announced the discovery of yet another “exceptional” stone. This is a 122.5 carat light blue stone which is currently undergoing tests to determine its quality – and therefore possible value.
Even in the absence of a stated value, shares in Petra Diamonds rose by 6.5% immediately after the announcement. The highest price so far paid for a rough diamond was $35.3m [£20 million], paid in February 2010 for a 507 carat white stone, which was also found at the Cullinan Mine. It is possible that this new stone may break that record. Initial estimates of $50 million [£29 million] are being suggested for the new find – although it does not appear to be as deep a blue as some previously recovered from the mine. In February this year the The new 122.5 Ct. blue diamond. same firm sold a 29.6-carat deep blue diamond for $25.6m – equivalent to more than £500,000 per carat.
Totally pure diamonds contain only the element carbon and are perfectly transparent and colourless. Coloured diamonds contain interstitial impurities or structural defects that give rise to “colour centres” within the matrix. Blue diamonds owe their colour to the presence of small quantities of the element boron. Yellow diamonds acquire their vibrant colours from the presence of nitrogen, while grey, violet and olive coloured diamonds contain varying amounts of hydrogen. The pink, brown and purple tinges in some diamonds derive from structural anomalies within the diamond. Some diamonds display a green colour as a result of long irradiation by natural sources such as uranium ore deposits.
The Cullinan Mine is expected to produce one million carats of diamonds The 29.6 carat blue diamond found in per year over the next 20 to 40 years. Among these will doubtless be further November 2013. exceptional coloured stones – the story continues.
Editor.
Work Starts at Drakelands Mine (formerly Hemerdon).
Well, it’s actually happening! Work has officially begun on the new tungsten mine at Hemerdon, near Plymouth. A group of politicians and representatives of Wolf Minerals carried out a symbolic ground-breaking ceremony in March and heavy plant has been in action at the site stripping overburden ready for construction of processing plant. This is
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 12 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER scheduled to be completed in March 2015, by which time ore production will be underway. The intention is to have the site – which will henceforth be called “Drakelands Mine” - in full production in the same year
Wolf’s UK Operations Manager Jeff Harrison said “When you spend this sort of money you have got to get a return as quickly as possible, it’s taken years of preparation and we want to make it happen.”
The Hemerdon tungsten deposit is said to be the third (or possibly fourth?) largest in the world. At full production the mine will deliver some 5,000 tonnes of tungsten concentrate annually, which would constitute roughly 3.5 per cent of forecast global demand, along with lesser amounts of tin. The ground-breaking ceremony at the new Drakelands Mine. Editor.
£1.56 Million Heritage Lottery Fund Grant Approved for the Lapworth Museum.
The Lapworth Museum on the University of Birmingham campus at Edgbaston is celebrating a major success after the Heritage Lottery Fund approved its application for a grant of £1.56 million. This forms part of a larger exercise to raise £2.5 million to enable a complete redevelopment of the museum. It will result in the Lapworth becoming a more accessible and “engaging” museum and will showcase the large and nationally important collections that it holds. Major themes will be the evolution of life, active earth processes such as volcanoes, mineral wealth and the impact of minerals on the industrial heritage of the West Midlands. RS past President Roy Starkey, who has a long connection with the Lapworth Museum and is a member of the Lapworth Bid Project Board which secured the grant was understandably elated, saying “this is a great development for earth science in the Midlands”; he also noted that “there will be numerous opportunities for involvement as the project develops, especially for those of you living within easy reach of Birmingham”. The Lapworth Museum - awarded a major Heritage Lottery Fund grant. Much of the required additional funding has already been put in place by the University of Birmingham Alumni and a range of other funding bodies. It is hoped that work on the Lapworth Museum redevelopment will begin in December this year and that the new facility will be able to open in October 2015. You can find more information on the Lapworth Museum redevelopment project at:
The Heritage Lottery Fund Website: http://www.hlf.org.uk/news/Pages/Rockandroll–Lapworthstaffcelebratehistoricmultimillionpoundredevelopmentgrant. aspx#.U8-QxB5OU2I
The Lapworth Museum Website: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/facilities/lapworth-museum/index.aspx
Editor.
New Book on the Minerals of the Cairngorms.
Many of you will know that our immediate past-President, Roy Starkey has been working on a book about the minerals of the Cairngorms for the last couple of years. Well, finally, the job is done, and the book - titled “Crystal Mountains - Minerals of the Cairngorms” - will be launched in Edinburgh on 25th September (if you would like to attend the launch, please contact Roy by e-mail ASAP for an invitation and full details – [email protected]).
The book follows the now well-established format of Minerals of Cornwall and Devon, Minerals of the English Lake District – Caldbeck Fells, and Minerals of Northern England (page size 276mm x 218mm). Running to 184 pages, the book is lavishly illustrated with 210 colour photos; 4 colour maps ; 2 colour diagrams and 20 monochrome photos and
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 13 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER diagrams.
Crystal Mountains traces the fascinating story of Cairngorm minerals from the 1700s though to the present day, and includes chapters on the history of the subject, geology, minerals, the “diggers” or miners, royal connections, collectors and collecting, and concludes with a look at the lapidaries and jewellers who provided the impetus for the “industry” in the first place, and a look at the little known story of the search for quartz as part of the war effort in the 1940s.
An extensive list of some 300 references is included, together with a comprehensive index. Roy has set up a website www. britishmineralogy.com to promote the book, and you can register Dramatic scenery in the Cairngorms. Coire an Lochain, an interest via the website to be notified when it is available. June 2013. A locality for genthelvite and bertrandite If you are going to be at the Bakewell Rock Exchange or the Sussex Mineral Show, you will be able to pick up a copy at either event. The book is priced at £25 for the paperback and £35 for a “collectors” limited edition hardback version.
Editor.
Possible Fluorescent Mineral Event in 2015.
Some of you will know that I am an enthusiast (the word “fanatic” has been used) for fluorescent minerals. For that reason I have long been a member of the Fluorescent Mineral Society. This organisation, although based in the USA, has a number of members in Europe and has a “European Chapter” which occasionally organises events for members and other interested people. The Chairman of the European Chapter, Richard Loyens (Belgium), has proposed that such an event might be held in 2015 in the UK. It would seem logical to connect this in some way with the annual Sussex Mineral Show (held every November in Haywards Heath, Sussex) which regularly features UV fluorescent mineral displays and fluorescent minerals for sale.
We are currently thinking that an event might be held at the same location as the Sussex show on the Sunday following the show on Saturday (dates yet to be determined). It could, for example, consist of UV mineral displays, talks on mineral fluorescence and fluorescent mineral collecting, opportunities to swap/trade or buy fluorescent specimens and a chance to meet and discuss our mutual interest with other members. There would probably have to be some sort of charge for attendance to cover essential costs (venue hire etc.) but I would hope that this will not be huge. This is still in the very early stages of planning but it is clear that we will need to attract a certain minimum number of participants if it is to be viable. I am told that a number of collectors from the Continent would be likely to attend so the big question is – how many UK attendees might we attract? If such an event were to take place I would like to have an indication of whether any RS members would be likely to either a) attend an event in Haywards Heath on the relevant Sunday in November 2015 or b) participate actively in the proceedings (give a talk, bring material to display or swap etc.). I would be grateful if anyone interested could reply to me on this by phone or e-mail (see the back cover of this issue). Also, if you know of others (i.e. non-RS members) with an interest in fluorescent minerals who might be interested in such an event could you please pass this message and information on to them?
Editor.
Complete Set of Mineralogical Record Available.
David Hardman, a North-West Branch member, has a complete set of the Mineralogical Record journal – including all supplements and etc. – which he wants to dispose of. The MR is probably the best journal available for the world- wide mineral enthusiast and collector and the opportunity to acquire a complete set is rare. As the MR website rather modestly points out “this is the most authoritative and widely respected mineral collector’s journal in the world; no serious advanced collector would be without it”. The quality of the photography, in particular, is superb. Anyone interested in making an offer for this valuable resource should contact David by phone (01204 884283) or by e-mail (dbhardman@ o2.co.uk).
Editor
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SHORT REPORTS & PAPERS.
Minerals and the dark side of some old masters.
Frank Ince
It has been appreciated for many years that the colour of some pigments changes over time; vermilion is one such pigment. It has been used for over 9000 years; however, its intense orange-red colour can gradually change to a darker greyish-red. In the last 10 years it has been shown that this change in colour is due to a grey to black surface coating. In a recent issue of Chemistry World (Royal Society of Chemistry: December 2013, p.26), Tim Wogan summarised the chemistry that has been found to be responsible for this effect.
Vermilion is cinnabar (HgS) and in 2005 it was proposed that a thin surface coating of mercury (Hg) was responsible for its darkening and that some white material was also present (Keune and Boone, 2005). Recent work has extended the original studies and confirmed that both chloride-mediated and photochemical reactions are taking place (Anaf et al., 2013; Da Pieve et al., 2013). High-resolution XRD studies on degraded vermilion from a number of old masters in Dutch museums and a mural in the monastery at Pedralbes (Spain) have shown that the surface is made up of a series of layers that contain a number of different chemical compounds: HgS
(cinnabar), Hg3S2Cl2 (corderoite), Hg2Cl2 (calomel) and HgCl2 (mercuric chloride: which (surprisingly?) does not appear to be a naturally-occurring mineral). Being a relatively volatile liquid that does not have a regular crystal structure, the mercury itself was not detected in these XRD studies.
It was proposed that the incorporation of readily available chloride ions (present in humid air) into the cinnabar lattice produced corderoite and H2S (which could be oxidised to sulphur dioxide; see the reaction scheme below). The corderoite reacted with oxygen to form sulphur dioxide, leaving behind an unstable “The Fighting Temeraire” by J.M.W. Turner. Turner defect in the corderoite (that I have represented as an unstable made considerable use of vermillion and other un- intermediate “Hg3Cl2”). This unstable intermediate, when it stable pigments and some of his works have deteri- absorbed visible light of the appropriate energy, collapsed to orated greatly over the years. Copyright free image form calomel (white) and mercury (grey to black). The calomel from InfoBritain. could also decompose to produce mercuric chloride (also white) and more mercury. The reactions that are involved in these processes appear to be quite complex; however, they could be represented by the following scheme:
So, whilst restoring your old masters or the murals in your family’s medieval chapel, you should not use your finger to clean the darker red areas hoping to reveal the original colour, just in case the pigment is (was?) vermilion.
Anaf, W., Jannsens, K. and De Wael, K. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. (2013), 125, 12800-12803. Da Pieve, F., et al. (10 authors). Physical Review Letters. (2013), 111, 208302 (5 pages). Keune, K. and Boone, J.J. Analytical Chemistry. (2005), 77, 4742-4750.
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Branch Meeting and Field Trip Reports Sunday 11th August 2013. Saddleback Old Mine, Blencathra, Cumbria [NY 332 286] Leader: Ian Dossett. Reporter: Richard Bell.
Three People, Ian Dossett, John Davidson and Richard Bell arrived for 10am at the parking area at Mungrisdale in bright conditions for the trip to Saddleback Old Mine. The weather quickly became overcast with light drizzly rain for most of the long walk to the mine after which it brightened up again. Specimens were quickly found with the following minerals recorded: pseudomalachite, malachite, linarite, chalcopyrite, pyromorphite, galena and cerussite. A hundred yards or so upstream some andalusite was found in a small rocky outcrop.
A few hundred yards further on an outcrop of hollandite was located which yielded some nice black specimens of botryoidal hollandite, cavities in which contained drusy hinsdalite often epimorphing pyromorphite.
On the way back it was decided to visit Bannerdale Mine. The walk to the mine involved a circuitous route along the top of Bannerdale Crags which provided fabulous views of the Lake District to the south and east of Mungrisdale. Little was found at the mine apart from some massive galena and sphalerite and possibly some smithsonite.
Friday 14th March 2014. ‘Mineral Collecting in North Wales’ a presentation by Tom Cotterell to the Russell Society North West Branch. Reporter: Christine Critchley.
Fourteen members attended Tom’s presentation which was illustrated with photos and maps. The talk started with the question ‘Why do we collect minerals?’ Many would suggest ‘the quest for mineral specimens’ but there could be (probably are) other factors that encourage members to ‘get out there – despite the weather’. These include the scenery, the social side of the trip, exploration, as part of keeping fit, educational reasons, conservation and study, an interest in mining history, the thrill of discovery. With the aid of ‘relevant images’ Tom suggested that North Wales offers all of these: scenery being ‘depicted’ by an old bathtub; the social side by a group sheltering from the winter weather, exploration by an image of a damp and dark adit, with a fitness regime being depicted by a three hour route shown up a scree slope! Following a resume of the geology of North Wales there then came images depicting ‘the thrill of discovery’.
This ‘thrilling trip’, with spectacular photos of minerals and sites, took us initially to Anglesey and Rhoscolyn, Holy Island; Parys Mountain; and Trwyn-Bychan, Pant-y-gaseg. Then onto Caernarvonshire with a stop at the Bronze Age Copper Mine, Great Orme; Bwlch Mine; Cae Coch Sulphur Mine; Parc and Aberllyn mines, part of the Llanrwst orefield; Llanberis Copper Mine; Moel Ysgyfarnogod; Britannia Mine, Snowdon; Moel-yr-Ogof; Mynydd Drws-y-coed; Fronoleu, Prenteg; Tan-y-grisiau Railway Cutting; Manod Quarry; Coed Llyn-y-garnedd; the Blaenau Ffestiniog Slate Quarries of Gloddfa Ganol and Cwmorthin; Penrhyn Slate Quarry; Minffordd Quarry, Porthmadog; the Gyrn Ddu Manganese Mine and Pen-y-Gaer, Carreg Ddu, Porth Dinllaen, the Rhiw Manganese Mines of Benallt and Nant all on the Llyn Peninsula; and Gimlet Rock, Pwllheli (now a holiday park). Next we went to Merionethshire for the Rhinogs, the Harlech Dome; Afon Mawddach, Clogau Mine, Cefn Coch Mine, Cwmheisian Mine, Vigra Mine in the Dolgellau Gold Belt; the Porphyry copper deposit and Moel Hafod-owen at Coed-y-brenin; Glasdir Copper Mine (famous for the invention of bulk oil floatation); Castell Carn-dochan, the Williams-Wynn family gold mine; Nant-yr-helfa trial, Mynydd Nodol and Moel Llyfnant, the Arenig Manganese Mines; Hafotty Fach, Bryn-y-castell Iron Mine, Cross Foxes the Cader Idris Iron Mines; and Tyllau Mwn, Aran Fawddwy, Oolitic Ironstone. Next onto Denbighshire for Hendre Quarry; agates from Llanrhaeadr- yng-Nghinmeirch; and Pennant Mine. Flintshire for the Halkyn Orefield with the Bryngwiog Lode, Bog Mine, Maeshafn, and Halkyn Mountain.
Minerals seen on the tour included cymrite, synchysite-(Ce), anglesite, chalcanthite; pisanite var. of melanterite, halotrichite, fibroferrite, dickite, malachite, azurite, chalcopyrite, dolomite, stibnite, hydrozincite, calcite, pyrite, marcasite, namuwite (National Museum of Wales), quartz, brookite, monazite, anatase, xenotime, hematite, lanthanite- (Ce), georgeite, connellite, asbestiform actinolite, allanite, ferroaxinite, epidote, tephroite, jacobsite, feitknechtite, banalsite, pennantite, celsian, paracelsian, pectolite altering to stevensite, bedded manganese silicates and carbonates showing spessartine, rhodochrosite, kutnohorite, alleghanyite, sonolite and pyroxmangite, gold nuggets, tellurobismuth, arsenopyrite, erythrite, tyrolite, tennantite, hollandite, stilpnomelane with calcite, apophyllite, pectolite, witherite, alstonite, enargite, fluorite, sphalerite, and smithsonite.
Tom was thanked for his time and effort in putting the presentation together, and all came away with ‘a greater understanding of the mineral heritage of North Wales’ following this guided tour. After the usual refreshments, people started to leave about 10:30pm.
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 16 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER Saturday 15th March 2014. North West Branch Visit to Great Sleddale Mines and Trials. Swaledale, North Yorkshire. [SD 826 988] Leader: Ian Dossett. Reporter: John Davidson.
For the first field trip of the year seven intrepid collectors met in a lay-by near Keld for a long walk up Great Sleddale. As there are no tracks to the mines it means walking over rough ground and having to keep crossing the beck to avoid the deep marshy areas without falling in, as the author did on his last visit! It was too cold for that!
The first stop of the day was at Lane Head Lead Mine [NY 856 008] (Dunham and Wilson, Geology of the Northern Pennine Orefield Volume 2, Stainmore to Craven) where remains of the mine buildings can be seen. The shaft is covered with metal pipes, through which you can look down the shaft and this looks deep. While water can be heard somewhere down below it does not seem to run out of the adit next to the stream which appears to have collapsed. Samples of witherite and strontianite were collected from the dump material. Good small clusters of pyrite cubes were also found in rotting shale on the other side of the beck from the mine. We soon had to move on to our real objective further up Great Sleddale as we were only a third of the way up the valley. The walking from Lane Head Mine gets much harder and a lot wetter as the rough track disappears. We were however spurred on by Ian to make a final push.
At the western end of the Swaledale mineral belt there are a number of copper trials that are unusual for this part of the North Pennine Ore Field. Generally the most common ore is galena. A fault in the main limestone forms a cliff that dips steeply northwest which displays extensive slickensiding. At the base of this cliff a shaft was sunk in the early part of the twentieth century to explore the vein. On the dump can be seen fluorite, azurite, malachite and some calcite, some of which we collected. Ian, John and Tom dug into an interesting area of waste that showed some fluorite and azurite traces. A few hand sized lumps of very rotten crumbly fluorite lumps were pulled out and on breaking open displayed small, areas of intense pale blue crusts resembling cyanotrichite associated with azurite. These lumps sat in an impervious pocket above the original soil surface (brown underneath the pocket and well drained). The pocket above the impervious layer was very wet and slimy charcoal grey inside; specimens appeared to be The group collecting at the Great Sleddale copper restricted to that zone. We completed excavation of the pocket mine trial site. [SD 826 988] and the excavated rock and soil was put back into the hole and the site made good. Subsequent work by Ian and Tom on the unknown blue crusts identified a rare cyanotrichite-group mineral. This mineral is of considerable interest and a scientific paper describing its discovery is in preparation. Specimens of these have been lodged with the National Museum of Wales and the Natural History Museum.
Minerals found at the copper trial included fluorite, azurite, calcite, malachite and some chrysocolla associated with the azurite. We also found a small number of examples of the cyanotrichite-group mineral. In addition on further study white chalky fillings and a white crust material resembling a white cyanotrichite were noted in some cavities in some of the interesting crumbly fluorite, these are still being analysed.
Once back at the cars Ian informed us we had walked in total 13.4 Kilometres in 3 hours 42 minutes. Our thanks must go to Jeremy Wearmouth the Head Gamekeeper of Gunnerside Estate for allowing us to visit the site. It is essential that permission is obtained before any visit to the site is undertaken.
Saturday 29th March 2014. Southern Branch Visit to Whatley Quarry, Frome, Somerset. [ST 730 480] Leader: Chris Finch. Reporter: Tony House.
On a fine morning with an 8am start, ten members attended with some driving over a hundred miles and leaving home at 04:00 (me, I’m 2 miles away. Finally got up at 07.30 and still had time for breakfast). After signing in, kitting-up, shaking hands with old and our newest member, Marco Petrovitch, we were escorted into the quarry by production supervisor Andy Fussell. Our exit deadline being 12pm we were quickly driven to No. 3 bench, to an exposure of the Black Rock Limestone with visible calcite nodules, which sometimes contain millerite crystals, pyrite, baryte, purple to clear fluorite crystals (plus a rumour of green?), quartz, dolomite, specular haematite and lepidocrocite.
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Not finding much myself, I committed the most heinous crime a mineral collector can be accused of; I collected a “FOSSIL” (My excuse; having scuba dived many a coral atoll I’m always fascinated by one, three hundred million years old). However, I did also collect a couple of nice specular haematites, presenting one to our newest member as something nice to take home, “just in case”.
A resent blast had exposed a mud-filled fault, always worth a look as mammoth tusks or bear’s and wolve’s teeth and possible flint implements can sometimes be found, along with ironstone - calcite nodules and superb giant corals. We went down next to the No. 7 bench which had been recently blasted and more calcite nodules were visible. Personally I did not collect much but, at the far end of the blast zone, a very interesting looking 4m x 3m iron ore pocket had been exposed containing a large area of vuggy manganese oxide which might have been full to the brim with hydrocerussites; but - and ain’t it always the way – nothing worth collecting on this occasion.
Minutes before packing-up “public enemy number one”, Steve King, who always finds better stuff than I do, was attacking a great block of Carboniferous Limestone containing a pocket of mostly rust coloured calamine overlaying fibrous opaque barite with minor galena. In this was a hollow 150mm fossil bivalve cast, rimmed in red with a hollow centre full of tiny calcite dog-tooth crystals. (How could I have missed that?) Not content with that, Steve suddenly said “that’s not bad” and this time he had found the best freestanding bunch of fluorite cubes I had ever seen in visiting Mendip quarries over the last 50 odd years. With Chris’s and my jumpers to protect the specimen if it fell off during extraction, (did I mention how warm it was?) Steve did the business. OK, the cubes were to only 2mm but totally detached from one another and showing zoning/growth patterns around the perimeter. For the Mendips, Specimen of small colour-zoned fluorite crystals a little darling of a specimen, and I had been over the same on calcite. area how many times? “Suggestion” to David Green: it would make a great front cover for the Journal after one of your magical photographic jobs.
On going out, unfortunately, the battery on the second vehicle had died and even pushing the thing halfway round the quarry didn’t do much good - either to the truck or, come to that, the pushers. We in the other truck did try to help by giving advice – possibly not appreciated. We all got back to the car park eventually via a set of jump leads.
Our thanks as always go to Chris for organising the trip, to Hanson Aggregates and the staff at Whatley Quarry for making this another memorable and successful day.
Saturday 5th April 2014. SW Branch Visit to Bampfylde Mine, North Molton, Devon. [SS 738 328] Leader and Reporter: David Roe
The Russell Society visit to Bampfylde seems to get earlier every year but the promise of spring this year was somewhat subdued with a glum, damp, Devonian sky. A pre-reconnaissance had found that the bridge over the river to the gate through the pheasant fence had been rebuilt after it had been washed away in last year’s floods and this meant that this year we could guarantee dry feet to start the day. A full contingent of members duly arrived and when we made our way to the main tips in the valley our hopes for a bonanza collecting day were wildly excited since it was clear that a substantial part of the tips had been moved around for building tracks around the site. However visions of fresh malachite, pseudomalachite and the much rarer libethenite released from this work proved to be illusory.
The logic of finding interesting minerals often seems baffling. Our previous trip to this site in 2013 proved to be one of the best I have ever had with substantial quantities of fresh undamaged malachite and pseudomalachite available. In particular the pseudomalachite had ranged from a characteristic smoked dark green (very similar to cornwallite – and I suspect often mistakenly identified as such) through to light turquoise coatings of “pseudomalachite” on both quartz and ochre.
The pseudomalachite always reminds me of kitchen chemistry as a child – making a water glass garden with a variety of metal salts - including copper nitrate which gave a nice growth of pseudo malachite type greenery of hydrated copper silicates. The experiment is described on page 31 of “The Young Chemist” by F. Sherwood Taylor – by page 59 we were encouraged to make Bengal Lights by mixing saltpetre, sulphur and antimony sulphide (“the fumes are somewhat
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 18 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER poisonous”) and by page 100 we were making hydrofluoric acid with one hand while grinding up fulminating powder with the other. This was a pivotal book in my life – until too late in my academic career I realised university professors were not allowed to play with test tubes – their time was taken up by getting the next research grant. Needless to say I now read this book (last published in 1956) and find myself aghast at what I was doing as a very young teenager – how I, and many others, avoided being poisoned, blinded or maimed in those halcyon pre Health and Safety days is remarkable.
In the present day reality of the 2014 Bampfylde field trip the weather degenerated and this resulted in a damp lunch after which most of us moved up to the top of the hill. I found a new recently surfaced track and followed it for over a mile beguiled by fragments of green but found nothing – and as far as I know very little of note was found by the rest of the party despite extensive efforts. Perhaps the mineral gods will smile more favourably on us in 2015.
Our thanks to the Land Agents for the estate for allowing us access to this private land.
Friday 11th April 2014. Southern Branch Visit to Durnford Quarry, Long Ashton, Bristol. [ST 535 714] Leader & Reporter: Steve King.
A beautiful warm day greeted our arrival at the site, with participants from all parts of the country travelling many miles and still managing to arrive on time – albeit bleary eyed. After a number of years on a ‘care and maintenance’ basis the quarry still held a small appeal and an anticipation that it might still yield some undiscovered specimens; perhaps hidden or “squirreled” away or washed out of an old bund. However ….
After a safety briefing, Neil the Manager, generously ferried us into the quarry to our usual areas of interest and left us to our own devices while going to check the perimeter fences. It soon became obvious that not even floods of Biblical proportions could have washed away enough crushed rock or boulders to reveal any “gems”.
Some large calcite crystals were recovered but these were very weathered. Small clusters of red and orange quartz were scattered around a localised area, seemingly washed out after previous trips, but nothing to rival the finds of the past. After taking a large chunk of calcite with the said quartz included home and subjecting it to an acid bath some nice plates were revealed. Is that cheating?
After an exhaustive search for rhodochrosite it was apparent that not a molecule remained – as might perhaps have been expected after so many years. It was commented that it appeared never to have existed there at all and, if this had been our first trip, you could have understood that sentiment. Nevertheless, a good time was had and we made our way onward to the ASM in Portland with a healthy glow.
Finally, thanks must go to Neil Hoddinott, the Quarry Manager, for allowing and supporting our visit and to Lafarge Tarmac Group for their continuing permission for mineral collecting visits.
Friday 11th April 2014. ASM Weekend Visit to Albion Stone plc, Isle of Portland, Dorset. [SY 686 721] Leader: Chris Finch. Reporters: Dave Wellings & Lynda Garfield.
The Friday morning of the Society ASM weekend found eleven members opposite the entrance to the Bowers Quarry ready and kitted up by 09:30, to be joined by Mark Goddard, Mine Manager of the Albion Stone Quarry Company. After an introduction we were guided down into a nearby quarry and the entrance to the Jordans Mine which had opened in 2008.
Here Mark explained some of the logistics in quarrying versus mining. To get the best Portland Stone, which is an oolitic limestone of uppermost Jurassic age, circa150 million years old, some 17 metres of overburden have to be removed. Thus underground mining saves a lot of work and environmental problems, as surface quarrying takes up a lot of surface space to accommodate the overburden and waste. Outside the entrance we noted one of the mobile cutting machines, used to shape and cut stone, in action; it was just starting to slice a slab of stone about two metres long and one metre high in half along its length; it took about 45 minutes to do this. The machine was effectively a long chain saw that was able to cut the stone without any lubricant/coolant. There were many cut blocks of stone around all suitably numbered to allow identification of the blocks in the future. The usable volume that could be extracted from these blocks had already been calculated. Some 75% of the stone can be taken from the mining operation but only about 25% of this can be used, as architects are very demanding these days.
We were then led into one of the two mine entrance “portals” to see some of the mining operations. Mining is carried out using the room and pillar method on a 6 x 6 metres grid. The tunnels run in an east-west direction as this is
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 19 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER the ideal way to cut across joints which run north-south. The working face is 4metres high. The tunnel roof has to be bolted all the way, done by drilling about 2 metres into the roof and then securing with bolts under tension, set securely in place with resin. We were ably to see a chain saw machine cutting into the face with a 40 mm wide synthetic diamond blade 3 metres long, making vertical and horizontal cuts into the working face, all under computerised control, with nobody assisting (at least at the working face). The blocks, about one metre square as you look at them, are released from the face by placing a number of thin steel “hydro-bags” into the middle cut; the bags are then expanded using water, the lower blocks are the first to fall followed by the upper blocks, which is apparently a slow and gentle process. The blocks of stone recovered are stored outside for appraisal and the now expended hydro bags are disposed of. The 4 metres high cuts mine the upper Portland Stone, namely the Roach Bed and the underlying Whitbed. We The entrance portals to the Jordans Mine, at the bottom were taken down further, through a cherty horizon (“curf”), to of an old quarry. see the extraction of a further few metres, the lower Portland Stone (“Basebed”). This gives a tunnel height of 9 metres, which is quite impressive.
After about an hour or so we left the mine and walked over to the see the surface workings of the Fancy Beach Quarry. Here we could see the same three beds of Portland Stone in which the fossil content increases upwards. Apparently architects nowadays prefer as few fossils as possible i.e. the lower bed, whereas geologists prefer the very attractive very fossiliferous upper bed of the Roach. This quarry is expected to be worked out within a year. On the way we were able to secure some samples of silicified tree trunk which occur in the overlying Purbeck beds, having been removed with the overburden. The stone in this quarry is also extracted by mobile chain saws cutting vertically and horizontally into the stone, followed by expansion of hydro-bags to finally release it.
Our final visit was to the machine cutting shop to view the saws and lathes used to shape and cut the Portland Stone to the specified shape as required by Albion customers. Diamond and tungsten carbide cutting tools are used for this. Typically stone blocks of 2-3 metres in size are cut down into smaller blocks or slabs. Intricate and ornamental designs are carried out by both male and female craftspeople using hand tools.
A special thanks to Mark Goddard for taking the time to show us around the Albion Quarry and Mine site and explaining in detail what is involved in extracting Portland stone; an eye opening experience.
Friday 11th April 2014 and Friday 13th June 2014: South West Branch Visits to Hingston Down Quarry, Cornwall [SX 400 720] Leader & Reporter: Sheila Harper
Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose! Our first trip of the year in April was well attended but collecting was disappointing. The most exciting find was a degrading sulphide rich mineral lode found on one of the levels. Adam White and Richard Humphrey had a lovely time digging lumps out of it.
On the 13th June, David Clough, Adam White, David and Yolande Ifold joined me for our next trip into the quarry. We eventually found a level we liked and stayed there. Solid shiny lumps of sphalerite with pyrite and chalcopyrite in various amounts flashed in the sunshine and there was massive wolframite, which shows thin streaks of scheelite when examined under UV light at home. Molybdenite, crystalline scorodite, pharmacosiderite, langite and brochantite were also found. I found some clear lathes in sprays on quartz. These fluoresced a stunning green when I turned my UV lamp on them at home. I tried dissolving a few of the crystals in dilute hydrochloric acid thinking they might be aragonite but there was no fizzing! Then I decided to wash my specimen, dried it and put it under the lamp again – no green fluorescence. I must have removed a fine layer of calcite dust (?) under the tap. There “The Lads” dismantling the large boulder.
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 20 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER were also blocks of bright orange colour on some specimens showing massive apatite. Towards the end of the day David Clough decided to go to his bag which was by one of several large boulders used to stop vehicles from going further along the level we were on. At this point he noticed a very interesting vein of mineral running through the rock. Next minute the lads were helping David to get the top off. It was very nice watching them work. Yolande encouraged them and I got some good photographs.
David is getting the results tested and hopes he has wavellite coated in crandallite. There was also cacoxenite present which we identified in the field. The other mineral which gives me joy is serpierite. I collected crusts of glassy blocky turquoise blue crystals – very tiny – on top of which are pale green pearly sprays of serpierite. These look very similar to material from Austria. Further, we found what I hope are blue serpierite coatings, forming paint like patches dripped on quartz rocks with mica. I washed some of this and the coating comes off to show sprays of glassy crystals of a deeper colour.
Many thanks are due to the Manager and Staff at Hingston who look after us so well and allow us access to the quarry. I hope our next trip will be as enjoyable and interesting.
Sunday 13th April 2014. ASM Weekend Visit to Purbeck Mineral & Mining Museum, Norden near Corfe Castle, Dorset. [SY 956 828] Leader & Reporter: Nicholas Green
As a follow on from the talk about “The Purbeck Ball Clay Mining Industry” by Dr Clare Randall, Curator at the Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum, at the AGM Weekend Saturday Symposium ten members visited the museum on the Sunday.
When we had all arrived at the museum we were greeted by our host Brian Langdown (right in the photograph) and under a clear blue sky we spent a very informative couple of hours on a tour of the site, starting at one of the many old clay pits in the area and ending at the reconstructed mine and mine building where many artifacts from the late Iron Age to the present are displayed. The museum is adjacent to the Norden Park & Ride which serves the Swanage Steam Railway and nearby is the goods shed museum at Corfe Castle station which houses the original clay industry steam locomotives.
Many thanks to Brian and his team of volunteers for an excellent Brian Langdown explaining exhibits inside the and informative visit. You can get more information on the museum. Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum at www.pmmmg.org.
Sunday 13th April 2014. ASM Weekend Visit to Bampfylde Mine, North Molton, Devon. [SS 738 328] Leader & Reporter: David Aubrey-Jones.
Inspired by the wonderful sunny morning and the blue sea of Weymouth we set out separately for the 2 hour drive to North Molton, Devon. The day before at the AGM several members had come up to me to ask if we could delay the start of the Bampfylde Mine visit by half an hour to 11:00 so that they could enjoy breakfast at the Heights Hotel which wouldn’t be served till 8am. Strangely I found myself agreeing to this request!
I was therefore somewhat surprised when I drew up at Bampfylde at 10.20 to find two cars already there. Perhaps an earlier start would be possible after all? As we got kitted out the time ticked by, and other cars gradually arrived. However, by 11am we were still missing key members of the party. I decided that we would start exploring the West side of the mine, so that we could still view the car park from the vantage point of high up on the steep mine dumps and monitor it for arrivals. It was nearly 30 minutes later that we watched the final two cars arrive. When they finally reached us they had some strange story of taking the wrong road and getting lost!
For a couple of hours we continued to scavenge the mine dumps to the West side of the road, starting at No.3 shaft. Soon specular haematite and malachite was being found, and some happy with their finds explored no further. Others
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 21 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER moved further up the hill to No. 4 shaft, and then to Footway Shaft and Hands Shaft. Malachite was in abundance, and Ian found a good piece which was well covered in a thin botryoidal layer. I broke open a thick piece of specular haematite to find lovely tufts of acicular green malachite hiding inside. There were also a few pieces of pseudomalachite found.
After a while we decided to give the East side a try. Some tried the bottom dumps at Engine Shaft while the more adventurous ones climbed up into the small dumps in the woods. Here again more malachite and haematite was found. A highly iridescent blue bornite was discovered by Ian coated in green malachite which was very attractive. Steve too found a bornite, this time enclosing chalcopyrite. Then Frank had success when he broke open a large block to reveal some small sparkling libethenite crystals. Towards the end of the day a considerable number of blue-green pseudomalachites A specimen of pseudomalachite from the Bampfylde Mine were also found, and Ian seemed to pick one up at every step! dumps. There was one particularly good one which had a 4 x 5 cm covering.
So ended a successful days collecting, with everybody finding something of interest. Sadly, despite gold being recorded from Bampfylde, no-one spotted any whilst collecting. Perhaps a careful examination of specimens with a lens and microscope when members get home will reveal gold. Our thanks to the Land Agents for the estate for allowing us access to this private land.
Monday 14th April 2014. North Herodsfoot Mine, Herodsfoot, Cornwall [SW 212 604] Leader: Ian Dossett. Reporter: Richard Bell.
Nine people eventually arrived at Mine House Farm which was a little difficult to find due to the grid reference being a few points out, where we were greeted by the mine owner Richard Humphreys. After we were served refreshments by Richard’s wife and being shown a few samples of the minerals that had been found recently found we made our way to the dumps past the extensive ruins of the mine buildings. It was a beautiful sunny spring day and collecting there in the woods was extremely pleasant.
A large hole had already been excavated by previous visitors and soon specimens of bournonite, (mostly massive) were being found. One exceptional specimen of bournonite was found by Adam White which consisted of tabular crystals of bournonite encrusted with quartz crystals, a very nice specimen.
Other minerals that were found were as follows, tetrahedrite, very small crystals in a cavity in quartz, pyrite, malachite, cerussite, galena, selenite, aragonite, siderite and probable chrysocolla, the other notable find of the day was pyrargyrite, tiny ruby-red crystals in cavities in a very fine-grained galena matrix, found by yours truly.
Most people had finished by about 16:00 and went back to the house for some more refreshments. Many thanks to Richard The find of the day. Adam White’s bournonite and his wife for their kind hospitality and for allowing us to specimen. spend a great day at the mine.
Tuesday 15th April 2014. North West Branch Visit to Ting Tang Mine, Carharrack, Cornwall. [SW 728 409] Leader: Ian Dossett; Reporter: Frank Bouweraerts
This mine was worked for copper in the nineteenth century and produced just over 40,000 tons of concentrate up to
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 22 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 1847. The tips seen nowadays are just a very small part of the extensive area originally covered by the mine.
We were very lucky with the weather but less so with the minerals. A trench had been formed with a digger some time earlier and the SW branch had visited the site about three weeks earlier. Since that time we thought heavy rain would hopefully have revealed abundant mineralisation on what they had discarded. Although there were eight of us and we got to work enthusiastically, digging and rummaging all over the site, there were no great finds on this occasion. Of course, you could not really be sure until everything was cleaned up at home but from what I saw on the day and from what I heard later we at least managed to recover a pretty wide selection of the known minerals. These included gemmy pharmacosiderite, olivenite, massive chenevixite, malachite, azurite, scorodite, cuprite, brochantite, amethystine quartz, wolframite, cuprite and the smallest crystals of liroconite imaginable by Tony! Ian did collect a small hand specimen with distinctive liroconite blue patches on it which under the microscope later, revealed Fun in the sun. Group members getting down to it on the the distinctive crystal form. Ting Tang dumps.
Thanks to the owner, Mark, for allowing access and to Tony Lee for being our unofficial guide.
Tuesday 15th April 2014. Northwest Branch visit to Mulberry Pit, Lanivet, Cornwall. [SX 019 656]. Leader Ian Dossett, Reporter Michael Doel.
On a pleasant afternoon we, a small party of five NW Branch members and guests, met our leader on the floor of this huge (3.2 hectares) old openwork. Variously known as Mulberry Mine, Mulberry Hill Mine and Mulberry Pit it is now a SSSI on the basis of being “the best example of a stockwork tin ore deposit in Britain”. It is thought to have been worked for tin over several hundred years until around 1916. The veins here trend in a generally NNE direction and the ore body is closely sheeted. Individual veins can easily be seen in the sides and floor of the deep working. The site is complementary to the famous occurrence at Cligga Head Mine in that it shows the effect of greisenisation on sediments rather than on granite.
Negotiating carefully past the various articles of rusting junk that have, at various times, been pitched into this hallowed site we made our way towards the northern end of the pit. The bottom of the pit is quite overgrown, with several holes in the floor in places. En route an exposed vein in the eastern sidewall provided small specimens of stannite together with covellite and chalcopyrite. In thin quartz veins in the end wall of the pit small, crude, black crystals of cassiterite to 5mm were seen and a few recovered. Later, those of us equipped to go underground explored a short tunnel under the floor of the pit, a relic of more recent working, and another, larger tunnel leading west from the pit bottom. In the former, a few examples of cassiterite crystals in white quartz, similar to those referred to above were recovered from debris in the tunnel floor. From the latter an inexorably deepening body of water prompted us eventually to retire to the main pit and thence back to our cars.
Overall this was an interesting visit, if not particularly productive in mineralogical terms. My abiding impression of the site was of the effort that must have gone into removing such an enormous volume of rock to leave the impressive hole visible today.
Grateful thanks are due to Ian, for organising the trip, to Andrew Wilkes, the landowner and to David Hazlehurst of Natural England for permission to visit and collect at the site.
Wednesday 16th April 2014. North West Branch Visit to Budleigh Salterton, Devon. [SY 039 802] Leader: Ian Dossett. Reporter: Graham Thornes.
Budleigh Salterton is a small seaside town in East Devon situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Magnificent red cliffs on this section of the Jurassic Coast are formed of Red Devonian Sandstone while the beach consists of large pebbles. The Triassic era is represented by Bunter Sandstone as well as nodules of vanadium and
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 23 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER uranium in red marl in Littleham Cove.
The last day of this trip saw the party reduced to Ian, Susan, Mike and Graham. Entering Budleigh Salterton and following signs for ‘beach parking’ we arrived at the pebble beach and began making our way west past the public toilets and café. Approximately half way to Littleham Cove, beyond the ‘clothing optional’ sign, being careful to avoid sunbathers whilst looking intently at the mud cliffs, we started to find nodules. Small at first but increasing in size. Vigorous work with hammer and chisel was required to prise them out of the hard mud. Ian’s prize example weighed in at 7 kg. Low tide at mid day enabled the party to reach Littleham Cove which had suffered winter storm damage compared with previous visits. It should be emphasised that these mud cliffs frequently undergo minor collapses and falls, as the author can testify when his lunch break was interrupted by one such fall landing 3 metres away.
The nodules can vary in size from a few mm in diameter to approximately 30cm. They contain high levels of a number A uranium & vanadium containing nodule in situ within its of elements, particularly vanadium, uranium and copper. It is lighter reduction halo in the red mudstone matrix. generally thought that these elements have been formed or enriched by the deposition of minerals from circulating ground waters. The nodules are radioactive and will produce an image on a photographic plate. When exposed to a Geiger counter a reading of 20x background radiation was indicated for a nodule gathered on this trip.
Everyone collected their fill and I’m sure will join me in expressing their thanks to Ian for organising, as usual, such a well planned and fruitful trip.
Saturday 26th April 2014, Central Branch Visit to Cloud Hill Quarry, Breedon on the Hill, Leicestershire. [SK 413 219]. Leader Neil Hubbard, Reporter Peter Briscoe.
Leaden skies and persistent heavy rain accompanied the journey south on the M1 through Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire but by the time the iconic hill church at Breedon came into view there was a promise of blue skies. Thirteen members (Neil Hubbard, Clive and Lynn Minker, Frank Bouweraerts, Steve Warren, Ken Hodge, Richard Joel, Frank Ince, Steve Critchley, Steve Seymour-Smith, Mourice Czerewko, Michael Doel and myself) assembled in the car park at Cloud Hill Quarry for one of the perennial favourites of the field trip calendar. By 08:50 all participants had arrived allowing us to enjoy a few minutes of pleasantries with the quarry staff whilst getting changed into our safety gear. Our guide, who had accompanied us on previous visits, was the Assistant Quarry Manager Stuart Shrimpton who went through the necessary safety procedures with us.
Cloud Hill Quarry lies about two kilometres south of Breedon on the Hill. It is bordered by attractive woodlands and works a buried inlier of Carboniferous Limestone which is unconformably overlain by Triassic Red Bed deposits. The oldest rocks exposed on the eastern side of the quarry are thinly-bedded siltstones, sandstones and dolomitic limestones of the Milldale Limestone Formation. They are unconformably overlain by the Cloud Hill Dolostone Formation, which gives way in turn to the Ticknall Limestone Formation. The limestone is dolomitised in places and the volume change has led to cavitation. There is extensive karstification at the boundary between the limestone and the overlying Red Bed sediments; mineralisation is extensive at and below the unconformity.
Much of the mineralogical interest at Cloud Hill is in the southwest corner of the quarry where cavities in brecciated limestone contain calcite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, baryte, galena, pyrite and marcasite. An assemblage of iron minerals including well crystallised hematite and goethite with quartz, baryte and calcite is present near the unconformity, but is only exposed on the upper benches which are currently inaccessible. These minerals are now only to be found in fallen blocks. In recent years calcite, chalcopyrite and galena specimens which are comparable to the best from anywhere in the Midlands have been found in cavities in the limestone.
Cloud Hill is a large quarry and the walk to the potential collecting area is nearly a kilometre. The party split up into two groups, one of which began investigations on bench E3 where calcite cavities had been found on previous trips [SK
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 24 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 4115 2115], but this time a little further along the bench as recent quarry work had exposed two large cavities in the face. Calcite was evident along with minor sulphide mineralisation but nothing to match previous finds. Gradually most of the group retreated to the main calcite area worked on earlier trips and soon small but interesting cavities were appearing containing scalenohedral crystals, some with iridescent faces, some with chalcopyrite, and sometimes neither. Small caches of specimens began to appear, but as most of the group already had good examples the efforts focused on trying to improve on the size and quality of previous years, as most calcite crystal groups from Cloud Hill have some contact points; undamaged specimens are relatively rare. Steve Warren recovered one or two excellent specimens that he hoped would be damage-free after cleaning, Neil Hubbard recovered a large-ish plate of snow white smaller crystals aesthetically dusted with iridescent chalcopyrite whilst Frank Ince also found some attractive chalcopyrite further along the bench. Other sulphides occur at Cloud Hill with Clive and Lyn Minker managed to unearth some sphalerite crystals amongst the chalcopyrite and galena/ barite and galena/pyrite combination specimens in and around the area of last year’s finds.
The other group had begun collecting on the next lower bench (but not the lowest as that was being actively worked that morning). The limestone there had lots of small cavities (mostly 30 - 40mm) lined with small dolomite crystal, occasionally dusted with small marcasite crystals. Frank Bouweraerts recovered the largest, about 5mm across.
The arrival of the Land Rover just after lunch regrettably signalled the end of the trip, but as by now most of us had full rucksacks, there was some compensation with the offer from Stuart to take them out of the quarry and have them waiting for us back at the car park. Last minute packing was completed, rucksacks loaded on to the Land Rover, and the long trudge out of the quarry commenced. Once again thanks go to Stuart and Breedon quarries for a fantastic day collecting and the opportunity to rescue some fine specimens. Roll on the return in 2015!
Sunday 27th April 2014. Wales and West Branch Visit to Ffos-y-fran Land Reclamation Site, Merthyr Common, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil [SO 066 063]. Leader and Reporter: Tom Cotterell.
Eight members and one guest enjoyed a sunny morning in the company of Miller Argent’s Archaeological and Environmental Liaison officers, Elizabeth Dunning and Harrison Barrett. Following a safety briefing we were driven into the site where 367 hectares of derelict industrial land is being restored to upland common.
Our first stop was a viewing area on the west side of the site [SO 0654 0667] where large areas of backfill were available for us to look over. Numerous clay ironstone nodules lay scattered throughout the backfill and many were found to contain small “Merthyr diamond” style quartz crystals within cavities. A few small millerite needles were also found.
With this area thoroughly inspected the group was driven inside the excavation to investigate a lower area of backfill. Very few productive ironstone nodules were seen and so we moved on to an exposure of the Big Seam on the northeast side of the workings. Previously, good quartz crystals had been found in weathered clay ironstone nodules within a sandstone horizon near to the seam but on this occasion it was inaccessible.
Our final stop was an area of recent backfill near the southern boundary of the site [SO 0703 0610] Here we found abundant marcasite and ankerite in veins cutting through quartz conglomerate. Below this some large weathered boulders of clay ironstone produced some very gemmy “Merthyr diamond” quartz crystals.
Our thanks go to Miller Argent for once again allowing us permission to visit the site and to Elizabeth Dunning and Harrison Barrett for giving up their time An iron-stone nodule at Ffos-y-fran. Some to show us around. are productive - some are not!
Saturday 10th May 2014. North West Branch visit to Dolyhir Quarry, Old Radnor, Powys [SO 242 107] and Gore Quarry [SO 260 592] Leader: Ian Dossett. Reporter: Susan Thompson
“Dolyhir Quarry is one of the most important British mineral locations of the last decade, hosting numerous rare and
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 25 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER unusual minerals” UK Journal of Mines and Minerals No 32, 2011, but on this occasion it was not overly exciting.
Five on a Hike Together ventured to the first location where an old roadway is being stripped out. Mineralisation was thin but azurite, malachite, tyrolite and a dark grey sulphide were collected.
We then ventured down through the benches without much success, until we reached the area noted for ewaldite over the last couple of years. Steve Warren quickly found a thin vein with witherite, alstonite and harmotome and spent much time and energy exploring this. Dolyhir was the first British locality for ewaldite, so it was especially pleasing that specimens were located by John Davidson. Other nearby veinlets provided further samples of witherite and alstonite, some of which were later found to include paralstonite.
Steve Plant discovered probable djurleite nearby. Ian, John and I explored the furthermost end of the sump at the lowest level of the quarry, where a strong massive very pale pink calcite vein was evident. Samples were collected, but they did not, on checking at home, show any significant fluorescence.
On returning to our vehicles, Ian identified rare Purple Gromwell (Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum) situated on grass bank by the old buildings near the entrance to the quarry. The Latin name of the species purpurocaeruleum means purple and blue, refers to the changing colour of the flowers with the progress of flowering. Ian explained they are endangered and upon further research advised they are located in only a few sites, typically on limestone around the Bristol Channel.
Five Go Adventuring Again this time nearby to Gore Quarry, no collectable It’s not just rocks, you know! The material was located; however, we were all very nearly treated to a free shower rare Purple Gromwell at Dolyhir. courtesy of the pressurised lorry wash when we tried to take a shortcut on the way out!
Our thanks to Ian for organising the trip and Dan Silvester for hosting our visit to Dolyhir Quarry and Matt McLean for permission to visit Gore Quarry.
Saturday 10th May 2014, Central Branch visit to Old Cliffe Hill Quarry, Stanton-under-Bardon, Leicestershire. [SK 476 103]. Leader and Reporter: Frank Ince.
Our merry band congregated at the quarry offices where we signed a variety of H&S forms and met our hosts (John Frisby and Andy Elton). Suitably garbed in full PPE, we stood on the southern rim of the quarry for a quick geological briefing. It was obvious that there had been a recent blast on one of the upper benches in the NE corner, where the steeply-dipping (up to 72° to the SW) Precambrian volcaniclastics of the Bradgate Formation were overlain by the more- or-less horizontally bedded Triassic sediments (with a marked basal breccia). We decided that this recent blast ought to be our first stop as we hoped that significant copper mineralisation might be found.
Using a couple of Land Rovers Andy and John transported us to the NE corner of the quarry [around SK 4774 1054]. It turned out that, in common with other parts of the quarry, copper mineralisation was rather sparse: at our drop-off point, on the same bench further to the south and the next bench down there were only small amounts of malachite and chrysocolla, together with some patches of grey copper sulphides (these might be chalcocite; however, in common with other occurrences in the Charnwood Forest area, it seems more likely that it will turn out to be djurleite). A number of other minerals were found hereabouts: quartz, pink albite, dark green chlorite, pink dolomite and a white clay-like mineral (probably palygorskite). One interesting geological feature was obvious as we walked southwards along the upper bench: an almost vertical fissure in the SE corner. Whilst we were unable to climb up and have a closer look, it is probable that this is an exposure of the junction between the volcaniclastics (on the left) and the diorite (on the right). There is still some debate about the nature of this junction: is it fault (as on the geological map) or an intrusive contact (there is a chilled margin on some samples of the diorite)?
John and Andy mentioned that an interesting object had been found in this area by one of the quarry workers; this aroused our interest and Andy drove off to fetch it. It turned out to be a very heavy lump of metallic-looking material with a dull grey exterior that showed signs of having been molten. The lump was taken apart (with some difficulty) and
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 26 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER most of us kept a sample. The interior of the lump had ‘veins’ with grey lustrous metallic cleavages and some preliminary microchemistry on the lustrous material implies that it is mainly zinc with some lead. It may be that this lump fell into the quarry after someone had been trying to ‘recycle’ zinc-containing batteries; further work may be done on this at some stage.
John and Andy transported us down to the bottom of the quarry and we had a circumperambulation of the lowest level. There was not an enormous amount to be found: some well-cleaved dolomite and some veins with cavities lined with pink dolomite, quite widespread epidotisation resulting in powdery-green coatings on joints in the diorite and a few examples of minor slickensided faults with coatings of bluish calcite-tourmaline (dravite-schorl).
Our last port-of-call was the broad Triassic wadi on the west face (see photo in Newsletter 62); where an exposure of the Triassic The (?) faulted contact of the volcaniclastic rocks with basal breccia and the Precambrian South Charnwood Diorite the diorite in the SE corner of Old Cliffe Hill Quarry (with had an obvious potential for copper-vanadium mineralisation Peregrine Falcon?). Photo: Pauline and Steve Critchley. [around SK 4725 1043]. Whilst copper mineralisation was found, it was rather sparse: some grey copper sulphides (again, probably djurleite), relatively small amounts of malachite, some with a colourless acicular mineral (aragonite??) and chrysocolla (both green and purplish), cuprite and native copper (both as cleaved patches), some darker green blobs that looked suspiciously like mottramite and traces of yellowish vanadates; there were also a few more samples of minor slickensided faults with coatings of bluish calcite-tourmaline (dravite-schorl).
By now our time was almost up; however, those of us who were left in the quarry jumped into the Land Rovers and, before for the journey back to the car park, went for a ride through the Joskin Tunnel to look at the remains of New Cliffe Hill Quarry (now partly filled with Triassic overburden from Old Cliffe Hill Quarry and water). Our thanks go to Paul Campion (Quarry Manager at Cliffe Hill Quarry, Midland Quarry Products) for agreeing to our visit and particularly John Frisby and Andy Elton for acting as our hosts and organising the transport in, around and out of the quarry.
Saturday 17th May 2014. Southern Branch Visit to Hampstead Farm (Chipping Sodbury) Quarry, Gloucestershire [ST 724 840]. Leader: Chris Finch, Reporter: Roger Robinson
For the hottest day of the year thus far, ten members turned up for this visit in time to start at 08.00. This was no mean feat with members from as far afield as Yorkshire. Chris reminded all of the conditions we must adhere to on this visit and of the “risk assessment” for this quarry. The Manager kindly arranged for us to be taxied under the road to the current working areas. Many members will have fond memories of the route from the 1980s. We were told not to climb or clamber over heavy material near to the faces but to ask for material to be moved to safe ground if it looked fruitful.
We started on Bench 5, one up from the bottom, and trekked to the northern end. (The quarry is long and thin, running parallel to the Wickwar Road.) Occasionally, signs of the bands of pinkish red baryte could be seen and the thin bands of pyrite, both of which characterised this quarry down the years. There was one shout of chalcopyrite but some were more focussed on seeking the fabled barytocelestite. There were tantalising signs of mineral veining but few showed sufficient cavities worthy of inspection.
We noticed a promising bundle of boulders near a part of the face that clearly had large cavities of calcite. So we asked if these could be moved to a safe area to be examined. This sounds easy but involved calling the front-end Crystals of pyrite on calcite. All you need loader driver and on arrival arranging for his to carefully move material from is a man with a large excavator. the large cavity. This was done and some of the material was sufficiently
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 27 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER interesting to cause the rustle of packing paper.
Some of the group went down to the bottom level and asked the excavator to follow and a similar exercise was done again at the northern end but this was not as fruitful. Back at Level 5, further work on the larger boulders that had been moved for us revealed large cavities of attractive calcite partially coloured by pyrite but not in a way that blighted it (in the eye of the beholder). So, much of the time was spent extracting calcite and although there was the usual problem with calcite of avoiding broken crystals, there was sufficient to satisfy those that wanted some. For the best and largest piece, destined to travel to Wiltshire with Steve King, most of us took turns to carry it to the pick-up point.
Many thanks go to Ian Strachan, the Quarry Manager for his help and in making the arrangements for the visit, to Richard Blannin who was the man in charge on the day of the visit and much thanks to Andy for his skilled use of the excavator and sticking with us to meet our needs safely.
Friday 30th May 2014. Wales and West Branch Visit to East Pit Opencast Coal Site, Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen [SN 732 129]. Leader and Reporter Tom Cotterell
This was our second trip to this opencast coal site which is an extension of the earlier East Pit Extension site. Celtic Energy, who operate the site, mine high quality anthracite coal from twelve individual seams which lie up to one hundred and fifty metres below the surface.
Eleven members attended this visit and we were joined by two guests invited along by the staff at East Pit. Wayne Evans, Mine Manager, gave us a safety briefing and the group were then transported into the opencast workings by Land Rover by the site engineers.
We were taken to the northeast side of the opencast where we were able to investigate slightly lower horizons than last year. We began in the vicinity of the Upper Pencraig Seam above which some limited quartz-siderite veins were observed in shale in the floor of the level. An impressive plant fossil extracted on the East Pit site. We were able to walk a little lower, but the deepest workings were again inaccessible. From what we could see from exposures in the eastern faces there are very few siliceous sandstone horizons the like of which host the quartz crystal- filled cavities at Nant Helen Opencast Coal Site. Likewise clay ironstone nodules were conspicuous by their absence.
We investigated the extensive bank of backfill on the southwest side of the open pit where some large clay ironstone nodules were noted, but once again these were mostly solid, with few cavities. Some the large sandstone blocks displayed veins and coatings of attractive, orange-brown, bladed siderite crystals. Adam White collected a nice example with fudge-coloured curved bladed siderite crystals on sandstone.
Our thanks go to Celtic Energy and in particular Simon Dorken, Site Engineer, for accompanying us and Wayne Evans, Mine Manager, for allowing us permission to visit the site.
Saturday 31st May 2014. Wales and West Branch Visit to Nant Helen Opencast Coal Site, Abercraf. [SN 812 113]. Leader and Reporter: Tom Cotterell.
12 members assembled at Celtic Energy’s site offices bright and early on a lovely summer morning. Ian Price, Mine Manager, gave us a safety briefing and the group were then transported into the opencast workings by Land Rover.
Nant Helen Extension opencast coal site is the largest of Celtic Energy’s sites, producing approximately 400,000 tonnes of high quality anthracite coal per year. The coal is extracted from up to sixteen different seams to a depth of one hundred and sixty metres below the surface. The site layout changes little, year by year, as the working face gradually progresses westwards. The thick sandstone beds associated with the Nine-Feet Seam were once again a prominent feature of the lowest workings and were the focal point for our visit.
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Several sandstone beds could be easily seen alongside one of the haulage roads on the west side of the open pit. Initial excitement was followed by disappointment that these particular sandstone horizons were devoid of any large cavities.
Not to be put off the group looked lower and it was apparent that a separate, lower, set of sandstone beds provided much more potential. A short, isolated, shallow face between levels exposed one such sandstone bed and despite the limited number of quartz-bearing cavities some nice individual quartz crystals were found.
Exploration of the lower workings revealed two further sandstone beds, immediately above the Nine-Feet Seam, that contained a number of productive cavities. Although somewhat narrow these pockets contained a mixture of elongated needle-like ‘fibre’ quartz with small chalcopyrite crystals perched upon them and larger stumpy quartz crystals. Minor orange-red micro-crystals of sphalerite were also observed.
Once again everyone came away satisfied with their finds from a thoroughly The sandstone layers which (sometimes) host quartz crystals. enjoyable morning.
Our thanks go to Celtic Energy and in particular Ian Price, Mine Manager, for once again allowing us permission to visit their site and for taking the time to show us around.
Sunday 8th June 2014. Central Branch visit to Dolyhir Quarry, Old Radnor, Powys. [SO 242 584] Leader & Reporter: Roy Starkey.
Our party numbered 12, and given the torrential downpours of the previous day we were all grateful to see bright blue sky, albeit with a steady flotilla of large and rapidly moving masses of cloud. As it happened, although we did have a few minor outbreaks of rain, the weather was really very kind, and the generally bright conditions certainly aided looking for the tiny crystals that “regulars” will be familiar with from this locality.
Attention focused, as usual, on the upper level where copper mineralisation occurs in the limestone at the top of the succession, and in the brecciated area with accompanying barium mineralisation on the eastern side of the quarry, seen generally on the lower benches. The copper area failed to yield anything spectacular, but several members spent some considerable time excavating a couple of fracture zones, one characterised by thin blue and green stains of malachite and azurite on coarse calcite crystals, and the other, a heavily altered pod of copper sulphide mineralisation.
The barium area proved to be more productive and Frank Bouweraerts collected what was probably the finest specimen of the day – a block of matrix about 150 × 80 × 80 mm, richly encrusted with well crystallised alstonite. Most participants collected something of interest, and several reasonable specimens showing bright well-formed crystals of ewaldite did turn up. There was also plenty of nice clean witherite in blocky crystals, which should make fine micro-specimens.
Our thanks, as usual, go to the Quarry Manager Mike Jones and Lafarge-Tarmac for granting permission for the visit.
Saturday 14th June 2014. Southern Branch Visit to Moss Rake, Derbyshire [SK 149 802] Leader: Chris Finch. Reporter: Mourice Czerewko
The full complement of seven members assembled by 8.30am at the off road hardstand area on the south side of Hope Quarry, adjacent to the viewing platform. The morning was warm and sunny and promised a hot dry day. The formalities were attended to with introductions and risk assessment. The background to the morning’s collecting excursion ahead of the afternoon’s collecting trip in Hope Quarry was briefly outlined once everybody was appropriately kitted out. This comprised of light weight backpacks occasional head torches and appropriate PPE and hammers necessary for the morning’s excursion. The attendees and equipment were then quickly loaded into three vehicles for the short transfer to Moss Rake.
A brief explanation of the area was provided as the group walked over the various phases of extraction and processing
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 29 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER remains. The group stopped briefly at the top of the rake vein to view over an area of collapse breccia and to look over the central part of the workings as the geological background and history of exploitation was explained before a decision was agreed for the mornings collecting program.
The bedrock at site comprises of strong bedded limestone of Lower Carboniferous age which had been subjected to later mineralisation typical of the Mississippi Valley form at a later date. Moss Rake is dominated by a single, deep, open cut vein exposing a number of older 16th to 18th century underground mine workings. The ancient workings were for lead and are to be found concentrated along the rakes aligned along an east to west orientation, these being galena- bearing veins that cut across the Bee Low Limestone. Parts of Moss Rake have been worked at least since 1670’s and believed to have ceased by 1880 with relatively modern re-workings for fluorspar and calcspar situated over areas of earlier mining remains. The mineralisation comprises massive radiate layers of calcite crystals locally known as calcspar growing inwards from opposing walls of the veins. Small amounts of other minerals are to be found inter-layered with the calcite and include fluorite, baryte and galena. Renewed fault movements along the rakes had led to patches of calcite breccia and vuggy pockets of fluorite with galena usually occurring on the walls of the veins, also with patches present anywhere in the vein. The central cut along Moss Rake locally 3-5m in width and of a pinched geometry exposes a phreatic passage with calcite flowstone seen lining the former cavern. The phreatic features are locally intersected with areas of mineralisation containing blunt hexagonal nail head calcite crystals, and elsewhere good dogtooth scalenohedral crystals often lining vugs. Sporadic veinlets known as skrins are locally present intersecting the main vein and these show evidence of faulting with lateral movements marked by fluorite slickensides and vugs often lined with calcite of fluorite.
The party opted for a brief inspection of younger underground workings to get the mornings collecting underway, where samples of galena in radiating calcite were collected from loose material on the floor. An invitation was then offered to ascend a short distance to inspect the old 17th century workings exposed by the opencast works where the partly worked out vein was exposed underground and to admire the ancient pick workings and coffin levels. Unfortunately all those present except for Julie, declined the invitation and opted for a vigorous mornings collecting of clear and amber fluorite and calcite at the location of a skrins exposed in the southwest area of the site. By 11.45 Old, hand picked “coffin levels” the members reconvened having recovered sample material including specimens of on Moss Rake. heavily fossilised crinoidal limestone for cleaning and further processing at home.
The party then returned to the hard stand area near the Hope Quarry viewing platform for lunch and further hammer work to liberate gummy fluorite and calcite crystals lining vugs of the limestone monoliths previously put aside for the occasion by Ken Dawson.
Saturday 14th June 2014. Southern Branch Visit to Hope Quarry, Derbyshire [SK 165 813]. Leader & Reporter: Chris Finch.
Following the morning visit to Moss Rake, the six members returned to their vehicles to grab lunch before being met by Ken Dawson, Hope Quarry Foreman who was to transport us into the quarry. We had arrived a little early as there is an adjacent operation to the Hope Quarry that processes fluorite taken from Hope and elsewhere. The owners had agreed to leave some material for us to look over but unfortunately it was not very inspiring or crystalline!
In the area of the viewing platform there were a couple of boulders that were shot through with blue fluorite but Ken had explained last year that these boulders were for visitors to be able to look at. Ken arrived at the organised time and gave us a quick overview of the quarry. Production is up, and there was a lot of rock-shifting going on this Saturday morning. However, operations stopped close to 13:00 and Ken then drove us in.
The picture opposite shows at the bottom two levels where the fluorspar vein runs through the quarry. We agreed we would look over the bottom level first and then move up dependent on the mineral situation. When you start the drive in you realise just how big the quarry is and no matter how uncomfortable the ride is it is far better than walking!
Hope Quarry is now a vast excavation extending ENE-WSW, approximately 1km in width and is being developed towards the WSW in increasingly high ground. The quarry extends to eight benches at the SW end, although progressive restoration is taking place towards the northeast in the direction of the cement plant. Annual production is around
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 30 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 2 million tonnes of Carboniferous Bee Low limestone, a low silica limestone of high purity and is the primary raw material for Hope Cement Works, now operated by Hope Construction Materials.
A broad NNW-SSE trending fault zone passes through the northwest faces of the quarry. This is dominated by clay but is sporadically mineralised, although in 2013 fluorite in particular was abundant. Soon after arriving at the bottom level it became clear that, this time, there was much clay and little fluorite. There was some vein material about that had a full range of Derbyshire fluorite colours but nothing of a crystalline nature. As the pickings were thin Ken had a look around the quarry to see if there was anything else that may prove of interest. Unfortunately there were only small amounts of uninteresting fluorite that had coated fractures which were not possible or worthwhile extracting. An overview of Hope Quarry.
The only opportunity appeared to be the blue fluorite boulders that we had seen at the viewing area, we did not realise it but Ken had put them there for us. After moving the cars a safe distance from the boulders a number of us set upon them. There was quite a lot of rich but small blue fluorite in the boulders but the most interesting was the coated crinoids. The fluorite deposition process was preceded by a solution phase that left some of the crinoids intact and subsequent mineralisation has deposited fluorite on the crinoids. The minerals proved very difficult to extract.
We eventually departed around 15:30 and had been rewarded with a beautiful day in the Hope Valley of Derbyshire and everyone had some blue fluorite – if they wanted it.
Acknowledgements must go to the Hope Quarry management for permission to enter the quarry and collect and especially Ken Dawson who had sorted out some fluorite for us and gave up his Saturday afternoon to supervise and transport us around the quarry.
Saturday 14 June 2014. Wales and West Branch Visit to the silver-lead mines of Cwmsymlog and Darren, North Cardiganshire (Ceredigion). Leader and Reporter: Tom Cotterell.
Due to a number of drop-outs this trip was shortened to just a single day. Four members took part in an eight mile tour around the historic silver mines first worked during Elizabethan times.
A hand-out describing the history of these important mines was provided to those in attendance. We commenced at Cwmsymlog mine and in a clockwise circuit visited Pengraigddu, Bwlchrhennaid, Bwlch and Darren mines. The primary mineralogy of each of these mines is complex on a microscopic scale, but looks relatively simple in hand specimen.
Specimens containing silver-bearing tetrahedrite in association with more common galena were collected at Pencraigddu and Darren whilst secondary copper mineralisation was noted at Bwlchrhennaid.
A small but select party in the sunshine in mid-Wales.
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Sunday 6th July 2014. Wales and West Branch Visit to Aust Cliff, Gloucestershire [ST 565 896]. Leader and Reporter: Tom Cotterell.
This was our first trip to Aust Cliff for quite a number of years but the lure of both minerals and fossils produced an excellent turnout including three families. 19 people (11 members and 8 guests) met at the long lay-by near to the road leading to the causeway entrance.
Fortunately the isolated heavy showers passed by within a mile or so of us, but left us dry. Indeed in the main the weather was very warm and sunny with the backdrop providing an enjoyable place to spend a Sunday afternoon.
The group walked along the raised concrete walkway to the beach at the southern end of Aust Cliff and gradually spread out in search of a mixture of minerals, rocks and fossils – the beauty of this site is its varied geology.
The easily accessible cliffs on the south side of the First Severn Bridge provide a fine cross-section through the local geology. The prominent red Triassic marls that form the lower 2/3 of the cliff contain, in a restricted horizon at the base of the cliff, abundant veins and lenses of chalky white alabaster (a compact variety of gypsum). Occasional veins of satin spar (a fibrous form of gypsum) were also observed.
Celestine, or strontium sulphate, also occurs at Aust Cliff – indeed Aust was one of the first places in Britain that this mineral was found which seems surprising when one thinks of the thousands of tons that were mined The RS party collecting on the beach at Aust, in the shadow of near Yate - but is far rarer than the ubiquitous gypsum. the old Severn Bridge. Superficially celestine looks similar to alabaster but a much greater density provides a clue to its identity. Dave Wellings found a few loose blocks of celestine underneath the southern end of the cliff at grid reference [ST 5653 8955] and a little searching uncovered a few more that had fallen from higher up the cliff.
Sporadic finds of Rhaetic bone bed, derived from near the top of the cliff, along the southern section of beach provided the occasional small tooth, some pyrite and also small water-clear selenite (also a variety of gypsum) crystals. Many blocks of cream-coloured Liassic marl, some full of shelly material, were also found.
A small group negotiated the bridge foundations to explore the less accessible northern side of the cliff and were rewarded with much bone bed material. Adam White did particularly well in that respect.
In all a good time was had by all – particularly the children who enjoyed looking for fossils as well as searching for crabs, woodlice and other minibeasts under the rocks.
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 32 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER SUMMARY LISTING OF SITES VISITED ON RUSSEL SOCIETY FIELD TRIPS: 2006 to 2014.
- Information compiled from trip reports submitted to the Newsletter (Issues 49 to 65). - Grid references are mainly those given by the Reporters and are not guaranteed to be correct. - In a few cases where no reference was apparently supplied by the Reporter a grid reference from MinDat has ben inserted. - The previous version of this table can be found in Issue 49. September 2006. - Remember that specific permission is required to collect at most of these sites.
Location Name: Grid Newsletter Location Name: Grid Newsletter Reference: Reference: Reference: Reference: Alt Car a’ Ghobain, Skye [NG 407 332] No. 51. p.35 Coldstones Quarry. Yorkshire [SE 125 642] No. 55. p.33 Arm o’ Grain, Cumbria [NY 316 333] No. 49. p.32 “ “ No. 56. p.22 Aust Cliff, Gloucs. [ST 565 896] No. 65. p.32 “ “ No. 57. p.36 Bagh Steinigidh, Western Isles [NG 019 939] No. 55. p.35 “ “ No. 58. p.35 Bampfylde Mine, Devon [SS 738 328] No. 60. p.39 “ “ No. 58. p.36 “ “ No. 61. p.36 “ “ No. 59. p.37 “ “ No. 63. p.24 “ “ No. 60. p.44 “ “ No. 65. p18 “ “ No. 61. p.36 “ “ No. 65. p.21 “ “ No. 62. p.35 Bardon Hill Quarry, Leics. [SK 455 132] No. 49. p.29 “ “ No. 62. p.35 “ “ No. 50. p.29 “ “ No. 63. p.22 “ “ No. 54. p.31 Colemans Quarry Somerset [SE 727 450] No. 49. p.37 Barrow Mine, Leics. [SK 595 166] No. 63. p.27 Cononish Mine, Stirling. [NN 292 287] No. 62. p.32 Beldi Hill Mines, N. Yorkshire [NY 906 008] No. 50. p.27 Craignure Mine, Strathclyde [NM 955 010] No. 55. p.33 Benallt Mine, Gwynedd [SH 222 281] No. 57. p.30 Crich Quarry, Derbyshire [SK 345 550] No. 50. p.25 Birkshead Mine, Cumbria [NY 666 257] No. 63. p.21 “ “ No. 52. p.14 Blackcraig Mine, Dumfries & [NX 450 650] No. 57. p.34 “ “ No. 53. p.34 Galloway Botallack Mine, Cornwall [SW 364 334] No. 52. p.7 “ “ No. 54. p.24 Boulby Mine, Cleveland [NZ 761 183] No 61. p.41 “ “ No. 55. p.25 Braich yr Oen, Gwynedd [SH 614 516] No. 64. p.28 “ “ No. 57. p.28 Brandy Gill Mine, Cumbria [NY 322 338] No. 61. p.39 Cwmdwyfor Mine, Gwynedd [SH 541 506] No. 63. p.39 Breedon Hill Quarry, Leics [SK 408 230] No. 64. p.29 Cwmorthin Quy, Gwynedd [SH 680 462] No. 58. p.26 Burdell Gill, Cumbria [NY 307 325] No. 56. p.22 Deer Hills, Cumbria [NY 315 362] No. 53. p27 Camasunary Bay, Skye [NG 545 172] No. 59. p.28 “ “ No. 58. p.30 Carnsew Quarry, Cornwall [SW 764 355] No. 61. p.37 Dinas Quarry, Carmarthen [SN 629 357] No. 56. p.29 Chaipaval, Western Isles [NF 982 917] No. 55. p.34 No. 59. p.24 Cligga Mine, Cornwall [SW 739 537] No. 58. p.32 Dolyhir Quarry, Powys [SO 242 584] No. 49. p.28 Cloud Hill Quarry, Leics [SK 413 215] No. 57. p.23 “ “ No. 50. p.34 “ “ No. 59. p.36 “ “ No. 53. p.24 “ “ No. 61. p.49 “ “ No. 53. p.46 “ “ No. 63. p.31 “ “ No. 54. p.25 “ “ No. 65. p.24 “ “ No. 55. p.32 Cnoc a’ Chapuill, W. Isles [NB 091 331] No. 55. p.35 “ “ No. 57. p.24 Coire Buidhe, Strathclyde [NN 034 436] No. 59. p.29 “ “ No. 58. p.25 Coldstones Quarry Yorkshire [SE 125 642] No. 49. p.32 “ “ No. 59. p.31 “ “ No. 51. p.31 “ “ No. 59. p.35 “ “ No. 53. p.23 “ “ No. 61. p.39
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 33 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
Location Name: Grid Newsletter Location Name: Grid Newsletter Reference: Reference: Reference: Reference: Dolyhir Quarry, Powys [SO 242 584] No. 61. p.46 High Down Quarry, Devon [SS 653 290] No. 50. p.26 “ “ No. 63. p.36 “ “ No. 57. p.25 “ “ No. 63. p34 “ “ No. 64. p.29 “ “ No. 65. p.25 Hingston Down Quarry, [SX 400 720] No. 51. p.33 Cornwall “ “ No. 65. p.28 “ “ No. 54. p.30 Driggith Mine, Cumbria [NY 327 353] No. 53. p.24 “ “ No. 56. p.23 Drosgol Area, Ceredigion [SN 763 882] No. 59. p.35 “ “ No. 59. p.22 Durnford Quarry, Gloucs. [ST 535 714] No. 50. p.35 “ “ No. 63. p.26 “ “ No. 51. p.27 “ “ No. 64. p.31 “ “ No. 55. p.21 “ “ No. 65. p.20 “ “ No. 55. p.27 Holmbush Mine, Cornwall [SX 358 721] No. 51. p.31 “ “ No. 56. p.26 “ “ No. 53. p.45 “ “ No. 57. p.29 “ “ No. 55. p.28 East Pit, Mid Glamorgan [SN 732 129] No. 63. p.34 “ “ No. 57. p.40 “ “ No. 65. p.28 “ “ No. 59. p.31 Faggergill Mine, N. Yorkshire [NY 987 069] No. 61. p.47 Hope Quarry, Derbyshire [SK 165 813] No. 55. p.26 Fank Mills Mine, Devon [SX 836 820] No. 62. p.28 “ “ No. 57. p.28 Fauld Mine, Staffordshire [SK 181 283] No. 63. p.20 “ “ No. 63. p.38 Ffos-y-fran, Mid Glamorgan [SO 066 063] No. 59. p.33 “ “ No. 65. p.30 “ “ No. 61. p.40 Kilchrist Quarry, Skye [NG 618 198] No. 51. p.35 “ “ No. 63. p.28 Kinharvie Burn, Dumfries & [NX 925 647] No. 57. p.33 Galloway “ “ No. 65. p.25 Little Scatwell Mine, Ross & [NH 384 572] No. 63. p.30 Cromarty Forcett Quarry, N. Yorkshire [NY 157 105] No. 50. p.31 Littleham Cove, Devon [SY 039 802] No. 65. p.23 “ “ No. 51. p.32 Littlejohn’s Pit, Cornwall [SW 980 570] No. 61. p.38 “ “ No. 53. p.23 Lliwedd Mine, Gwynedd [SH 634 530] No. 63. p.40 “ “ No. 55. p.33 Llyn du Bach Mine, Gwynnedd [SH 657 323] No. 53. p.48 “ “ No. 57. p.36 Llynclys Quarry, Shropshire [SJ 264 241] No. 49. p.27 “ “ No. 59. p.27 “ “ No. 49. p.29 Foss Baryte Mine, Perth & [NN 814 545] No. 62. p.31 “ “ No. 54. p.23 Kinross Frongoch Mine, Ceredigion [SN 722 744] No. 50. p.31 “ “ No. 55. p.30 George & Charlotte Mine, [SX 428 733] No. 62. p.27 “ “ No. 57. p.22 Devon Goat Quarry, Fife [NT 175 867] No. 63.p.31 “ “ No. 61. p.44 Greystones Quarry, Cornwall [SX 365 806] No. 64. p.30 Loch Meurach, Western Isles [NG 016 878] No. 55. p.36 Grovebeck Mine, Yorkshire [SE 028 483] No. 64. p.33 Lochan na Lairige, Stirling. [NN 601 392] No. 62. P.33 Gunnerside Gill, N. Yorkshire [NY 951 983] No. 57. p.37 Lockridge Mine, Devon [SX 438 663] No. 64. p.32 Halecombe Quarry, Somerset [ST 702 475] No. 52. p.15 Low Pike Trial, Cumbria [NY 320 357] No.58. p.31 “ “ No. 53. p.37 Machen Quarry, Mid [ST 222 887] No. 50. p.34 Glamorgan Hampstead Farm Quarry, [ST 724 842] No. 65. p.27 “ “ No. 51. p.26 Gloucs. Haven Cliff, Devon [SY 252 899] No. 64. p.33 “ “ No. 52. p.16 Hemerdon Ball, Devon [SX 572 584] No. 51. p.30 “ “ No. 53. p.39 “ “ No. 58. p.32 “ “ No. 53. p.46 “ “ No. 62. p.25 “ “ No. 55. p.23
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Location Name: Grid Newsletter Location Name: Grid Newsletter Reference: Reference: Reference: Reference: Machen Quarry, Mid Glam. [ST 222 887] No. 56. p.25 Pendeen Consols, Cornwall [SW 381 359] No. 50. p.33 “ “ No. 56. p.27 Penmaenmawr Quy, Gwynedd [SH 702 754] No. 53. p.28 “ “ No. 58. p.25 Phoenix United Mine, Cornwall [SX 262 713] No. 55. p.28 “ “ No. 58. p.27 “ “ No. 57. p.40 “ “ No. 58. p.37 “ “ No. 63. p.38 “ “ No. 59. p.26 Pibble Mine, Dumfries & [NX 521 608] No. 57. p.34 Galloway “ “ No. 60. p.40 Pindale, Derbyshire [SK 165 813] No. 63. p.37 Meldon Quarry, Devon [SX 570 625] No. 49. p.37 Pitscurrie Quarry, Aberdeen. [NJ 728 265] No. 63. p.31 “ “ No. 50. p.35 Potts Gill Mine, Cumbria [NY320 367] No. 53. p.27 “ “ No. 51. p.30 “ “ No. 58. p.30 Minffordd Quarry, Gwynnedd [SH 594 390] No. 53. p.47 Ramsley Mine, Devon [SX 651 930] No. 53. p.25 Moel Llyfnant, Gwynedd [SH 809 350] No. 61. p.47 “ “ No. 57. p.26 “ “ No. 63. p.36 Red-a-ven Mine, Devon [SX 569 917] No. 57. p.26 Moel Ysgyfarnogod, Gwynedd [SH 657 344] No. 53. p.48 RelistianMine, Cornwall [SW 601 368] No. 53. p.45 Moonen Bay, Skye [NG 136 479] No. 51. p.34 Restormel Iron Mine, Cornwall [SX 098 614] No. 54. p.29 “ “ No. 55. p.34 “ “ No. 56. p.21 “ “ No. 59. p.28 Rhbha nan Clack, Skye [NG 302 334] No. 51. p.34 “ “ No. 63. p.29 Rinsey Cove, Cornwall [SW 593 269] No. 52. p.7 Moons Hill Quary, Somerset [ST 662 442] No. 52. p.17 Saddleback Old Mine, Cumbria [NY 332 286] No. 65. p.16 “ “ No. 53. p.41 Sandbeds Mine, Cumbria [NY 332 636] No. 49. p.32 Moulds Top, N. Yorkshire [NY 983 028] No. 59. p.32 “ “ No. 53. p.27 Mulberry Mine, Cornwall [SX 019 656] No. 65. p.23 Sandford Mine, [ST 421 589] No. 53. p.35 Gloucestershire Mynydd Nodol, Gwynedd [SH 859 391] No. 63. p.36 Shap Blue Quarry, Cumbria [NY 563 106] No. 57. P.35 Nant Helen Opencast, W. [SN 812 113] No. 53. p.46 “ “ No. 59. p.37 Glamorgan “ “ No. 56. p.28 “ “ No. 63. p.24 “ “ No. 58. p.58 Shap Pink Quarry, Cumbria [NY 558 084] No. 57. p.35 “ “ No. 59. p.30 “ “ No. 63. p.24 “ “ No. 61. p.45 Shierlglas Quarry, Perthshire [NN 882 639 No. 62. p.32 “ “ No. 63. p.35 Sletteval Quarry, Western Isles [NG 062 857] No. 55. p.36 “ “ No. 65. p.29 South Crofty Mine, Cornwall [SW 667 413] No. 50. p.32 Needles Eye, Dumfries & [NX 916 562] No. 57. p.33 S Herodsfoot Mine, Cornwall {SX 212 594] No. 60. p.44 Galloway Nether Row Brow Trial, [NY 323 371] No. 58. p.30 South Wheal Basset, Cornwall [SW 694 394] No. 60. p.42 Cumbria North Herodsfoot Mine, [SX 212 605] No. 57. p.38 St Austell Consols, Cornwall [SW 967 512] No. 56. p.21 Cornwall “ “ No. 63. p.33 “ “ No. 58. p.32 “ “ No. 65. p.22 Stancombe Lane Quarry, [ST 503 687] No. 51. p.29 Bristol Oisgill Bay, Skye [NG 135 495] No. 59. p.28 “ “ No. 55. p.22 Old Cliffe Hill Quarry, Leics. [SK 476 103] No. 62. p.25 “ “ No. 56. p.24 “ “ No. 65. p.26 “ “ No. 57. p.29 Old Gang Mine, N. Yorkshire [NY 968 010] No. 57. p.36 “ “ No. 60. p.40 Old Gunnislake Mine, Cornwall [SX 433 721] No. 64. p.31 “ “ No. 61. p.35 Parc Slip Opencast, Bridgend [SS 850 838] No. 50. p.34 “ “ No. 63. p.19 Pass of Ballater, Aberdeenshire [NO 368 972] No. 63. p.30 Stowfield Quarry, Gloucs. [SO 557 114] No. 56. p.28
ISSUE NO. 65 - Page 35 - September 2014 RUSSELL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
Location Name: Grid Newsletter Location Name: Grid Newsletter Reference: Reference: Reference: Reference: Stowfield Quarry, Gloucs. [SO 557 114] No. 58. p.24 Whatley Quarry. Somerset [ST 733 483] No. 55. p.24 “ “ No. 61. p.35 “ “ No. 56. p.26 Strontian, Argyll [NM 823 659] No. 51. p.34 “ “ No. 57. p.30 “ “ No. 53. p.29 “ “ No. 58. p.33 “ “ No. 59. p.29 “ “ No. 59. p.23 Susanna Mine, Dumfries & [NS 881 158] No. 59. p.32 “ “ No. 60. p.45 Galloway Taffs Well Quarry, Mid [ST 124 822] No. 58. p.31 “ “ No. 61. p.36 Glamorgan Talisker Bay, Skye [NG 324 302] No. 51. p.35 “ “ No. 62. p.34 “ “ No. 59. p.29 “ “ No. 63. p.28 “ “ No. 63. p.30 “ “ No. 65. p.17 Talnotry Mine, Dumfries & [NX 477 703] No. 57. p.34 Wheal Alfred, Cornwall [SW 579 369] No. 52. p.8 Galloway The Knipe, Strathclyde [NS 655 103] No. 59. p.27 Wheal Cock, Cornwall [SW 363 339] No. 60. p.43 Ting Tang Mine, Cornwall [SW 728 409] No. 51. p.32 Wheal Edward, Cornwall [SW 361 329] No. 50. p.33 “ “ No. 53. p.44 “ “ No. 60. p.43 “ “ No. 57. p.39 Wheal Ellen, Cornwall [SW 705 470] No. 60. p.43 “ “ No. 59. p.24 Wheal Emily, Devon [SX 540 498] No. 64. p.32 “ “ No. 61. p.33 Wheal Exmouth, Devon [SX 839 830] No. 57. p.25 “ “ No. 65. p.22 “ “ No. 62. p.28 Todhead Point, Aberdeenshire [NO 866 774] No. 63. p.31 Wheal Josiah, Devon [SX 428 733] No. 62. p.26 Tomnadashan Mine, Stirling. [NN 692 378] No. 62. p.33 Wheal Mary Ann, Cornwall [SX 287 636] No. 56. p.21 Torr Works, Somerset [ST 693 438] No. 49. p.30 “ “ No. 63. p.33 Virtuous Lady Mine, Devon [SX 473 698] No. 57. p.27 Wheal Neptune, Cornwall [SW 539 300] No. 60. p.43 “ “ No. 62. p.27 Wheal Owles, Cornwall [SW 365326] No. 50. p.33 “ “ No. 64. p.28 Wheal Remfrey, Cornwall [SW 920 570] No. 61. p.39 Wanlockhead, Dumfries & [NS 867 134] No. 57. p.33 Whitesmith Mine, Argyll. [NM 823 659] No. 63. p.29 Galloway Wellhope Shaft, [NY 779 466] No. 50. p.30 Whyte’s Cleugh, Dumfries & [NS 867 134] No. 59. p.32 Northumberland Galloway Whatley Quarry. Somerset [ST 733 483] No. 51. p.26 Wick Quarry, Gloucsestershire [ST 711 732] No. 53. p.40 “ “ No. 53. p.38 Wickwar Quarry, [ST 717 898] No. 60. p.41 Gloucestershire. “ “ No. 53. p.42 Winsford Salt Mine, Cheshire [SJ 652 658] No. 63. p.20
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