Cerussite with Barite

specimen number:
2102227

location:
Brandy Bottle Mine, Yorkshire, England, UK

description:
Crystals of cerussite measuring to almost 1.0 cm in size across the top of a crystallized barite matrix. In good condition, neat locality example for the species.

The Brandy Bottle Mine, located near Grassington in the Upper Wharfedale region of North Yorkshire, England, is a historic lead mine within the Grassington Moor mining field. Geologically, the deposit is part of the Northern Pennine Orefield, where mineralization occurs as fissure veins and replacement deposits hosted in Carboniferous-aged limestone and sandstone, specifically the Grassington Grit. The ore fluids deposited galena within a gangue of fluorite, baryte, and calcite along fault-controlled structures. Historically, mining in this area dates back to Roman times, but the Brandy Bottle Mine reached its peak activity during the late 18th and early 19th centuries under the management of the Duke of Devonshire's agents. The mine is noted for its high-elevation workings and its connection to a sophisticated network of stone-lined leats and water-driven crushing mills. While large-scale commercial production largely ceased by the 1880s as the easily accessible ore was exhausted, the site remains a significant heritage location, featuring well-preserved remains of its distinctive beehive-shaped chimney and dressing floors that characterize the Yorkshire Dales industrial landscape.

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