Groverake, between the villages of Rookhope and Allenheads, holds a significant place in the mining history of Weardale. While it may not have been a major source of mineral specimens, it played a pivotal role as the primary producer of commercial fluorspar in the region during the 1980s and 1990s.

Despite its economic importance, the mine ceased operations in the summer of 1999. Subsequently, in 2005, much of the site was demolished, although two iconic headframes were left standing as historical markers. Unfortunately, the passage of time has not been kind, as scrap thieves have since dismantled one of these headframes, diminishing the site’s tangible link to its mining legacy.

1872 Killhope Iron Co.
1873-1876 Weardale Iron Co.
1877 Weardale Iron & Coal Co.
1894-1925 Weardale Lead Co. Ltd
1930 Allenheads Mining Co. Ltd
1935 Billing Ganister & Mineral Co. Ltd
1940 Blanchland Fluor Mines Ltd

There is a public footpath through the site.