FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Ru Smith]

Here's a detail of a 13 mm limpid fluorite twin from the Diana Vein of the Beaumont Mine, Northumberland.

Some of you might be interested in this little historical note:
https://lifeartearth.blogspot.com/2013/01/westgarth-forster-and-allenheads-mine.html
(link normalized by FMF)

Who else has photos of specimens from this mine to share?

[ian jones]

Nice piece, Diana Vein specimens are fairly uncommon.

Here is one of my pieces from Diana Vein, fluorite with sphalerite and siderite. The largest crystal is 15mm

[Ru Smith]

Lovely specimen Ian. There's something VERY attractive about these fluorites - lustre, transparency and that subtle grey-lilac colour.

[Ru Smith]

I also like the juxtaposition with the lustrous sphalerite.

[Jesse Fisher]

It's my understanding that most of the Diana Vein specimens came from a single find in 1971. Much of the find was purchased from the miners by a British mineral dealer who sold the lot on at the Munich show that year. During the British Steel operation in the 1970s specimens were also found on Henry's Vein, photo of one below. Although the mine was one of the largest lead producers in the region during the 19th century, documented specimens from the mine during this period are rare.

[Ru Smith]

Another pair of beautiful specimens Jesse.

My example is supposed to have been collected in 1978.

I had also come across the mention of Ralph Sutcliffe's successful Tucson sale of Diana Vein specimens in the 1970s (UKJMM No. 22).

[Jordi Fabre]

Let me add one more image to this party ;-)

[Ru Smith]

Thanks Jordi! This one is very different; not a style I had seen from here before.

[ian jones]

Fluorite from the Arthur Scoble collection, crystals to 15mm.

Labelled as "Gin Hill Flats", Beaumont Mine, it was obviously collected by Arthur in flats accessed from the Beaumont Mine's Gin Hill Shaft when the mine was working.

[Ru Smith]

Nice!

[Ru Smith]

Two more photos.

[Ru Smith]

I've just been looking in Westgarth Forster's 1821, “A Treatise on a Section of the Strata from Newcastle to Cross Fell”, pages 301-302.

This is what he had to write about “Allenheads, seven miles S. of Allendale Town, and four miles E. of Coalcleugh, consisting of several veins ….

much Lead, with Crystallized Cubical Spar, blue, purple, amber, &c., and also Carbonates of Lead, some Blend or Black Jack, with Quartz, in Strata, from the Grind-stone Sill to the Four Fathom Lime-stone … - One Horse Level, upon the Fire-stone, called Fawside Level, begun in the year 1776, under the direction of the Author’s Father; one Water Level, known by the name of the Haugh Level, begun in Sir William Blackett’s time; four Water Wheel Engines, under-ground; seven Whimseys, one of them under-ground; and a large Crushing Machine.”

[Ru Smith]

I stopped by the Garrigill churchyard last week and found the tomb of Westgarth Forster and family.