Mid Wales Must See

Blober

Blober

Member
Having spent some time perusing through the NLS maps and spotting the various lead mines of Mid Wales I was curious to see what others would say are "Must see" mines there, obivously the likes of Cwmystwyth but i'm a bit ignorant outside of that. What would those of you who have explored mines in Mid Wales say are the mines that you shouldn't miss out on?
 
Many thanks Roy a nice list for me to think about there! Anyone else got any other experiences? I'm a sucker for the smaller mines.
 
Good question, and thererin lies some speculation
Its main economic mineral was copper, but lead was also produced. There was quie a bit of investment for poor return. I often wonder if the copper occurance caused speculation about the posibility of Tetrahedrite being present. This is a complicated mineral of copper, antimony, iron - and silver. This was the big silver yielding mineral of Darren and Cwmsymlog, I have heard references to 130 ounces to the ton of produce.
 
Royfellows said:
Good question, and thererin lies some speculation
Its main economic mineral was copper, but lead was also produced. There was quie a bit of investment for poor return. I often wonder if the copper occurance caused speculation about the posibility of Tetrahedrite being present. This is a complicated mineral of copper, antimony, iron - and silver. This was the big silver yielding mineral of Darren and Cwmsymlog, I have heard references to 130 ounces to the ton of produce.
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That’s very high amounts per tonnage , I haven’t came across that high before .
 
Below is an extract from the interpretation board at Cwmsymlog which gives 50 ounces per ton. I have been reliably informed however, (the late Simon Hughes) that up tp 130 ounces at times. The man we wnt on here is John Mason, he is an expert, I am not.

extract.jpg
 
Bwlch Glas is an easy SRT trip with very impressive artefacts in situ at the bottom. Also, just wading up the deep adit also rewards with artefacts at the end.

Chris
 
Royfellows said:
Below is an extract from the interpretation board at Cwmsymlog which gives 50 ounces per ton. I have been reliably informed however, (the late Simon Hughes) that up tp 130 ounces at times. The man we wnt on here is John Mason, he is an expert, I am not.

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Roy, Tom - as per the writing on the Cwmsymlog board. I have not found a single old reference in the Mining Journal etc to tetrahedrite (or fahl-ore as people used to call it) - yet it was formerly common along the Darren group of lodes in masses up to 10 centimetres. They must have seen it periodically. Why is there no historical mention? Was it overlooked or misidentified? Darren lodes tetrahedrite carries about 20 wt % Ag (electron microprobe data). I've always been left wondering why no such lodestuff was assayed. Central Wales ores were frequently analysed for more elements than lead - e.g. MJ, Eaglebrook 1854: p. 208.

"At meeting onWednesday (Mr. Koch in the chair), accounts showed- Balance last account, £210·4·2; calls received, £160 = £370·4·2. – Minecost, £191·8·4; assays, printing, &c., £26·2·5; leavingbalance in favour, £152·13·5. Assays for gold showed a few dwts."

A mystery it remains.

Penycefn and Llanfair also had high Ag levels - 86oz per ton of lead claimed at Llanfair. This mineralisation is however much later and the carrier is not tetrahedrite. Investigations ongoing! In this case though there are grains of another mineral in the galena but ~10 microns across! Hopefully the electron microprobe will tell us more this year.

Cheers - John
 
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ChrisJC said:
Bwlch Glas is an easy SRT trip with very impressive artefacts in situ at the bottom. Also, just wading up the deep adit also rewards with artefacts at the end.

Chris
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We were there tonight, The nipple high water was freezing haha, one of my worst ever wetsuit experiences.
 

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