Einführung

Nordwestlich des Dorfes Nenthead liegt die ausgedehnte Brownly Hill Bleimine. Von mindestens den frühen 1700er Jahren bis 1936 wurde sie zeitweise betrieben. Brownley Hill Mine ist bemerkenswert, da sie zu den wenigen Minen in der Umgebung von Nenthead gehört, die vom London Lead Co. nicht vollständig erschlossen wurden. Die Brownly Hill-Ader wurde von der London Lead Co. in den frühen 1700er Jahren erkundet, wobei reiche Bleierze in den oberen Lagerstätten abgebaut wurden, trotz des frühen Erfolgs der Arbeiten wurde das Gelände irgendwann vor den 1730er Jahren aufgegeben, da die Ader in geringer Tiefe arm wurde und es eine beträchtliche Menge Wasser zu bewältigen gab.

From 1748, the mine passed through number of different owners mainly local companies and partnerships, with the various different veins at Brownley Hill being opened and worked at depth. This included the driving of the Brownley Hill low level, also known as the Bloomsberry Horse level. This level allowed access to the veins in the Great Limestone which is the single most productive bed for lead deposits in the area. A significant amount of lead has been produced from the mine, and from 1816 onwards the large and so far untouched zinc deposits started to become an important resource for the mining companies.

From 1892 the mine was owned and operated by the Nenthead and Tynedale Lead and Zinc Co., and following the acquisition of that companies assets the mine was worked intermittently by the Vielle Montagne Zinc Co., with the final abandonment coming in 1936. By the time the mine was abandoned the at least 13 different veins had been worked along with the large and extensive flats often associated with these. The mine also connects through to other mines in the area with connections through to the Rampgill mine and Nentsberry Haggs mine as well as the famous Gudhamgill mine.

Collector's Guide

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Notable Finds

Fluorite is not a common mineral to find in the mine, the one notable exception for is found in the Jug vein. Here amber yellow Fluorites have been found often associated with bight Galena crystals or Calcites. The Fluorites can often form very sharp edged and glassy crystals which are rather pleasing to see. Twinning does not seem to be common but the Fluorites can sometimes form complex crystals with stepped faces, not to dissimilar to the those found in some mines such as the Blackdene mine of Weardale.

Collecting History

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