Detailed information
Species
Scheelite
Dimensions
18 x 22 x 18
mm
Weight
10 g
Locality
Carrock Mine Carrock Fell, Caldbeck Fells Cumbria, England
Condition
No recorded repairs
Carrock mine is one of the most famous mineral localities of the Caldbeck Fells and is situated on the Fells' southern flank, adjacent to the River Caldew. This mine is unusual in that it's been the only commercial source of tungsten outside of South West England and was last worked in the 1970s and 80s. Carrock mine was highly popular with mineral collectors and a visit there, either on surface or underground, usually resulted in the finding of some good specimens. For probably a good twenty years collecting has been, and remains, strictly forbidden and so what specimens remain in the dumps will now decay away rather than be preserved. Mindat records 87 valid species at Carrock mine and the calcium tungstate, Scheelite, is one of its most sought after. This superb thumbnail is composed entirely of intergrown Scheelite crystals, the largest crystal (seen to the right on the video) measures 1.2 cm on its longest edge. The crystals fluoresce bluish white under short wave ultraviolet. A great thumbnail displaying well defined, sharp-edged Scheelite crystals from Carrock mine.