Fluorite

specimen number:
2063685

location:
Weardale, Co. Durham, England, UK

description:

A loose glassy green gem twinned crystal grouping of fluorite without matrix. In good condition. This is likely from either the Heights mine or the Heights quarry. Brightly fluorescent.

Weardale, located within the North Pennines Orefield in County Durham, England, features a complex geological setting dominated by Carboniferous limestone, sandstone, and shale beds underlain by the ancient Devonian Weardale Granite. Hydrothermal fluids rising along fault fractures deposited rich mineral veins, making the region a premier source of lead ore, zinc, and commercial fluorspar. Lead mining dates back at least to medieval times, expanding dramatically in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries under major operations like the London Lead Company and the Beaumont Company. As lead extraction declined in the late nineteenth century, the region transitioned to fluorspar mining to support steelmaking flux requirements, with key mines such as Boltsburn, Cambokeels, and Frazer's Hush operating throughout the twentieth century. Weardale became world-famous among mineral collectors for producing magnificent specimens, most notably lustrous twinned fluorite crystals in vibrant green, deep purple, and yellow shades that frequently exhibit intense daylight fluorescence. Although major industrial operations ended around 1999, dedicated small-scale mining projects like the Rogerley, Diana Maria, and Lady Annabella mines have continued to operate specifically for high-grade specimen recovery.

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