Detailed information
Species
Hematite
Dimensions
150 x 175 x 120
mm
Weight
4498 g
Locality
Nab Gill Mines, Boot Eskdale, Copeland Cumbria, England
Condition
No recorded repairs
A large specimen of botryoidal Hematite coating altered granite and quartz from Nab Gill mine near Eskdale in Cumbria. This mine is quite far removed from the main iron mining district in west Cumbria. The Hematite forms a consistent 16 mm thick botryoidal layer coating the rock and displays a fibrous internal structure within the layer. The rock, looks on first impressions to be limestone, which is absent from the Nab Gill mine, but it has been tested and is not limestone. There is some bruising evident on the surface of some of the botryoids and the overall surface of the hematite is rough. Nevertheless, this is a large specimen from this lesser represented iron mine. Nab Gill mine opened in about 1870 but production was sporadic - never exceeding 10,000 tons annually - and mining ceased totally in 1918. Due to its large size and weight, an additional charge for postage may be required.