I -- _..._ Natural Environment Research Council -2 Institute of Geological Sciences - -- Mineral Reconnaissance Programme Report c- - _.a - A report prepared for the Department of Industry This report relates to work carried out by the British Geological Survey on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry. The information contained herein must not be published without reference to the Director, British Geological Survey. D. Ostle Programme Manager British Geological Survey Keyworth Nottingham NG12 5GG No. 71 A regional geochemical soil investigation of the Carboniferous Limestone areas south of Kendal (south Cumbria and north Lancashire) I I I I I I I- I I I I I I I 1 I I I 1 I I I I I I I 1 I I I BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Natural Environment Research Council Mineral Reconnaissance Programme I Report No. 71 A regional geochemical soil investigation of the Carboniferous Limestone areas south of Kendal (south Cumbria and north Lancashire) J. H. Bateson, BSc, MIMM C. C. Johnson, PhD I 0 Crown copyright 1984 London 1984 A report prepared for the Department of Trade and Industry Mineral Reconnaissance Programme Reports 58 Investigation of small intrusions in southern Scotland 31 Geophysical investigations in the 59 Stratabound arsenic and vein antimony Closehouse-Lunedale area mineralisation in Silurian greywackes at Glendinning, south Scotland 32 Investigations at Polyphant, near Launceston, Cornwall 60 Mineral investigations at Carrock Fell, Cumbria. 33 Mineral investigations at Carrock Fell, Cumbria. Part 2 -Geochemical investigations Part 1 -Geophysical survey 61 Mineral reconnaissance at the Highland Boundary 34 Results of a gravity survey of the south-west with special reference to the Loch Lomond and margin of Dartmoor, Devon Aberfoyle areas 35 Geophysical investigation of chromite-bearing 62 Mineral reconnaissance in the Northumberland ultrabasic rocks in the Baltasound-Hagdale area, Trough Unst, Shetland Islands 63 Exploration for volcanogenic sulphide mineralisation 36 An appraisal of the VLF ground resistivity technique at Benglog, North Wales as an aid to mineral exploration 64 A mineral reconnaissance of the Dent-lngleton area 37 Compilation of stratabound mineralisation in the of the Askrigg Block, northern England Scottish Caledonides 65 Geophysical investigations in Swaledale, North 38 Geophysical evidence for a concealed eastern Yorkshire extension of the Tanygrisiau microgranite and its 66 Mineral reconnaissance surveys in the Craven Basin possible relationship, to mineralisation 67 Baryte and copper mineralisation in the 39 Copper-bearing intrusive rocks at Cairngarroch Bay, Renfrewshire Hills, central Scotland south-west Scotland 68 Polymetallic mineralisation in Carboniferous rocks 40 Stratabound barium-zinc mineralisation in Dalradian at Hilderston, near Bathgate, central Scotland schist near Aberfeldy, Scotland; Final report 69 Base metal mineralisation associated with 41 Metalliferous mineralisation near Lutton, Ivybridge, Ordovician shales in south-west Scotland Devon 70 Regional geochemical and geophysical surveys in 42 Mineral exploration in the area around Culvennan the Berwyn Dome and adjacent areas, North Wales Fell, Kirkcowan, south-western Scotland 71 A regional geochemical soil investigation of the 43 Disseminated copper-molybdenum mineralisation Carboniferous Limestone areas south of Kendal near Ballachulish, Highland Region (south Cumbria and north Lancashire) 44 Reconnaissance geochemical maps of parts of 72 A geochemical drainage survey of the Preseli Hills, south Devon and Cornwall south-west Dyfed, Wales 45 Mineral investigations near Bodmin, Cornwall. Part 2-New uranium, tin and copper occurrence in the Tremayne area of St Columb Major 46 Gold mineralisation at the southern margin of the Loch Doon granitoid complex, south-west Scotland 47 An airborne geophysical survey of the Whin Sill On 1 January 1984 the Institute of Geological Sciences between Haltwhistle and Scats’ Gap, south was renamed the British Geological Survey. It continues Northumberland to carry out the geological survey of Great Britain and 48 Mineral investigations near Bodmin, Cornwall. Northern Ireland (the latter as an agency service for the Part 3-The Mulberry and Wheal Prosper area government of Northern Ireland), and of the surrounding 49 Seismic and gravity surveys over the concealed continental shelf, as well as its basic research projects; it granite ridge at Bosworgy, Cornwall also undertakes programmes of British technical aid in geology in developing countries as arranged by the 50 Geochemical drainage survey of central Argyll, Overseas Development Administration. Scotland 51 A reconnaissance geochemical survey of Anglesey The British Geological Survey is a component body of the 52 Miscellaneous investigations on mineralisation in Natural Environment Research Council. sedimentary rocks 53 Investigation of polymetallic mineralisation in Lower Devonian volcanics near Alva, central Scotland Bibliographic reference 54 Copper mineralisation near Middleton Tyas, North Bateson, J. H., and Johnson, C. C. 1984. A regional Yorkshire geochemical soil investigation of the Carboniferous 55 Mineral exploration in the area of the Fore Burn Limestone areas south of Kendal (south Cumbria and igneous complex, south-western Scotland north Lancashire). Mineral Reconnaissance Programme Rep. Br. Geol. Surv., No. 71 56 Geophysical and geochemical investigations over the Long Rake, Haddon Fields, Derbyshire 57 Mineral exploration in the Ravenstonedale area, Printed for the British Geological Survey by Four Point Cumbria Printing CONTENTS SUMMARY 1 FIGURES continued INTRODUCTION 1 21 A distribution map of manganese in the soils from Over Kellet and Nether K&et (Area (III) 19 GEOLOGY 1 22 A distribution map of copper in the soils from METHODS OF INVESTIGATION 1 Warton Crag, Silverdale, Arnside and Beetham (Area IV) 20 RESULTS 2 23 A distribution map of lead in the soils from DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 5 Warton Crag, Silverdale, Arnside and Beetham Area I 5 (Area IV) 21 Area II 5 24 A distribution map of zinc in the soils from Area III 5 Warton Crag, Silverdale, Arnside and Beetham Area IV 11 (Area IV) 22 25 A distribution map of barium in the soils from CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 14 Warton Crag, Silverdale, Arnside and Beetham (Area IV) 23 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 25 26 A distribution map of manganese in the soils from REFERENCES 25 Warton Crag, Silverdale, Arnside and Beetham (Area IV) 24 APPENDIX 26 Locational data 26 TABLES AAS Soil data 35 XRF Soil data 39 A summary of analytical data for soils from Whitbarrow and Brigsteer (Area I) 5 FIGURES A summary of analytical data for soils from Hutton Roof (Area II) Map of the survey area 5 A summary of analytical data for soils from Geological map of the survey area Over KeIlet and Nether KelIet (Area III) 11 A map showing the soil sampling sites A summary of analytical data for soils from in the Whitbarrow and Brigsteer areas (Area I) A map showing tha soil sampling sites in the Warton Crag, Silverdale, Arnside and Beetham (Area IV) 12 Hutton Roof area (Area II) A summary of anomalous areas A map showing the soil sampling sites in the 12 Over KeIlet and Nether KeIIet areas (Area III) A map showing the soil sampling sites in the Warton Crag, Silverdale, Arnside and Beetham areas (Areas IV) 4 7 A distribution map of copper in the soils from Whitbarrow and Brigsteer (Area I) 6 8 A distribution map of lead in the soils from Whitbarrow and Brigsteer (Area I) 7 9 A distribution map of zinc in the soils from Whitbarrow and Brigsteer (Area I) 8 10 A distribution map of barium in the soils from Whitbarrow and Brigsteer (Area I) 9 11 A distribution map of manganese in the soils from Whitbarrow and Brigsteer (Area I) 10 12 A distribution map of copper in the soils from Hutton Roof (Area II) 11 13 A distribution map of lead in the soils from Hutton Roof (Area II) 13 14 A distribution map of zinc in the soils from Hutton Roof (Area II) 13 15 A distribution map of barium in the soils from Hutton Roof (Area II) 14 16 A distribution map of manganese in the soils from Hutton Roof (Area lI) 14 17 A distribution map of copper in the soils from Over Kellet and Nether Kellet (Area (III) 15 18 A distribution map of lead in the soils from Over KeIlet and Nether Kellet (Area (III) 16 19 A distribution map of zinc in the soils from Over Kellet and Nether Kellet (Area (III) 17 20 A distribution map of barium in the soils from Over KelIet and Nether Kellet (Area (III) 18 ii SUMMARY They consist primarily of coarse conglomerates with The soils of four separate areas lying within the outcrop occcasional impersistent sandstones and nowhere is the of the Lower Carboniferous Limestone to the south and relationship between these beds and the younger carbon- southwest of Kendal were sampled and analysed for ate sequence observed. copper, lead, zinc, barium and manganese. The Carboniferous carbonates (mainly of Visean age) Mining activity in the areas has been of little occupy the western and central part of the area and are significance; restricted to a small number of disused generally compact grey-blue limestones typical of trials for iron and two old lead mines at Brigsteer and deposition in a shelf environment. They form striking Whitbarrow. Significant geochemical anomalies are few topographical features with extensive scar cliffs and and can be related to either artificial contamination, well-developed limestone pavement. There are two pre- association with minor iron mineralisation or to the dominant joint directions across the area striking 150’ reefal limestones that occur in the south of the area. and 060’. To the south of Carnforth, although exposures The latter are of greatest significance in view of the are poor due to widespread glacial drift, the evidence of similarities with areas along the Craven Fault system to reefal limestones suggests that a more basinal facies the east and the association of economic mineralisation may be developed to the south. in Carboniferous reefs in Ireland.