ALSTONITE

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Brownley Hill mine near Nenthead, Alston Moor, Cumbria is the Co-Type Locality for Alstonite, alongside Fallowfield mine in Northumberland, but the crystals from Fallowfield are much smaller than those from Brownley Hill mine. Originally described in 1835, the source of specimens within Brownley Hill mine was forgotten for over a century until a group of collectors relocated it in about 1990. This miniature specimen was collected underground in Brownley Hill mine in 1990 and presents a matrix of massive, compact bladed white Baryte encrusted in white, sharp hexagonal pyramidal Alstonite crystals to 5 mm in length. Many of these Alstonite crystals have their terminations missing but their classic form is still very visible. Upon them, are a few clustered aggregates of waxy Witherite, white internally, but more noticeable by their greyish, slightly weathered outer surface, and hexagonal platy form. The largest Witherite crystal reaches 5 mm across. Ex Greenbank Collection, no. PG 540, with accompanying collection label noting that it was collected by Lindsay Greenbank with R. [Ralph] Sutcliffe, M. [Mike] Sutcliffe, R. Phillips and A [Anthony] Walshaw.