I am not aware of any radon at Alva. A literature scan shows nowt:
Alva Silver Mine, NGR NS 88 97 Landranger 58 Silver Glen, Alva [NE of Stirling], Clackmannanshire
First worked in 1715, the Alva Silver Mine is the richest deposit of native silver ever found in Great Britain. Native silver occurs as dendritic crystal aggregates to several cm, associated with clinsafflorite and rammelsbergite in a dolomite-baryte-calcite gangue. Moreton, S 1996 The Alva Silver Mine, Silver Glen, Alva, Scotland. Mineralogical Record 27 (6) 405-414
In the 18th century an intensive mining operation in the hills above Alva, Clackmannanshire, extracted quantities of high quality silver ore. Several mines are visible within easy access of a public footpath in Silver Glen. The downside is that, following a recent survey of the mines and subsequent publication, all the horizontal adits have been blocked off by the Woodland Trust who oversee the land. The mine the largest in terms of overall entrance, is still accessible by climbing over the railing. A steep slope down leads to a short climb up into a horizontal adit, gained via a section of railway line jammed across the rift. There are eleven identified workings (two of them are 20ft shafts communicating with levels having a bottom entrance) and most are clearly visible due to fencing and warning notices. The mines ceased operation in the late 18th century. They were re-worked in 1880 and again at the beginning of the 20th century for ancillary minerals but nothing profitable was found.
Anon 1963 Alva Silver Mines. Alloa Advertiser 5 April 1963 8. Source Brown 1980
Anon ND Alva Silva Mines. Northern Notes & Queries or The Scottish Antiquary 1 (4) 53-55
Anon 2007 Scottish Bookshelf. Book Review: Bonanzas and Jacobites: The Story of Silver Glen by Stephen Moreton. The absorbing story of the silver and cobalt mines of the Ochils. The reviewer, as a boy, explored the caves and mine working in the Ochils, also the old calcite mine above Menstrie. Scots Mag 167 (1) 80
Beadman, D R, et al 2002 Design and construction of a tunnel above abandoned mine workings: the Roughcastle tunnel, Falkirk, Scotland. Mining Technology 111 (12) 99-105
Dickie, D M, and Forster, C W, Editors, assisted by Mrs E Lumsden, J Ritchie, A Roy and R Woodburn. 2nd ed 1974; reprint 1986 Mines and Minerals of the Ochils. Clackmannanshire Field Studies Society. 43, maps, illus. Airthrey Silver Mine, Alva Silver Mines, John Erskine’s Mine, Carnaughton Glen Mines, Blairlogies Mines, Burn of Sorrow Mine, Tillicoultry Mines, Daiglen Mine, Balquharn Mines, Jerah Mines, Myreton Calcite Workings.
Edie, William L, 1924 Precious metals of Scotland, prospecting and where found. Kirkcaldy. Fifeshire Advertiser 39. Brief mention of Alva silver 14-16. Source Brown 1980
Green and Todd 11
Harrison, John G, 2003 Heavy Metal Mines in the Ochils: Chronology and Context. Forth Naturalist and Historian 26 105-118. Bridge of Allan, Allan Water NS 787 983, Airthey Hill Mine NS 8152 9720, Aiirthrey Silver Mine NS 8152 9720, Blairlogie Trials, Jerah Mine NS 8323 9949 & NS 8300 9982, Balquharn Burn Trials NS 8653 9782 the site of Earl of Stirling’s mines c 1607, also worked in mid 18th century. Carnaughton Glen Silver Mine NS 8781 9754, Alva Silver mine, Tillicoultry NS 9234 9812, Kirk NS 9124 9780 and Daiglen Burns NS 9106 9834, Dollar Burn NN 9455 0021, Pendreich NS 8065 9922, Western bank of Allan Water NS 787 983. All Landranger 57
Holliday, J. 1964 The Alva Silver Mines. GSG 1st Series 2 (1) 6
Jeffreys, Alan L 2007 The Alva Silver Mines. Ser 4 GSG 3 (2) 18-25, 8 B&W photos, 2 colour photos opp 26, location map, surveys. The definitive work on the currently accessible workings.
Jeffreys, A.L. 2007 Alva Silver Mines - Erratum. GSG 4th Series 3 (3) 17
Jeffreys, Alan 2008 Mines in Scotland 20
Landless 3
M&M (10) IV
MacOwan, Rennie 2007 Scots Magazine July 167 (1) 80. Heading for the Hills / The saga of the Silver Glen. A review of Moreton 2007 ibid.
MacPherson, A D S May 1964 The Wee County. Scots Mag 81 (2) 116-118, illus. Alva Silver Mines.
Moreton, S 1996 The Alva Silver Mine, Silver Glen, Alva, Scotland. Mineralogical Record 27 (6) 405-414
Moreton, Stephen 2007 Bonanzas and Jacobites / The Story of the Silver Glen. 94 pp, many photos, some in colour. Edinburgh, National Museums Scotland. A detailed history of the Alva Silver mines from 1715 to date, including the discovery of cobalt in 1758. Thoroughly referenced, chapter by chapter, with additional notes and background information accompanying the references. List of minerals found and descriptions of the mines still open, includes a Radon warning.
Murray, (1894) Handbook for Scotland, reprinted 1971 David & Charles, Newton Abbot. 199 silver mines
Palmer, William T, 1947 The Verge of the Scottish Highlands. Robert Hale Ltd, London 148-149 “Ochil Silver. The silver yield of the Alva mines two centuries ago was startling. The Silver Glen between Middle and Wood hills made £4,000 a week for Sir John Erskine. The Government’s attention was drawn to the valuable veins of ore, two of which were particularly rich and produced in a few week 134 ounces of the richest silver, as assayed and tested by no less a personage than Sir Isaac Newton, then Master of the Mint. In 1715 Sir John entered a perilous adventure to bring back the Stuarts. He left his wife in charge of the mines and of forty tons of silver ore buried in the grounds of Alva House. The rising failed and Sir John was outlawed. To buy back the Government’s favour he sent information about his silver ore, and in the winter of 1716-7, a Mint expert reported that:
“I found it (the ore) of an extraordinary nature, such as to my knowledge few or none like have ever seen in Europe. It consists of sulphur, arsenic, iron, some lead and good silver. Of all these the silver is only to be regarded, for the other minerals and metals contained in the ore are of little value, and not worth the charge to separate and keep them”.
“The treasure-trove is said to have produced £40,000 to £50,000, but Sir John did not prosper, the output diminished, and the mines soon came to an end.”
Proctor, John and Bacon, Margaret E 1979 The plants and soils of two mineral workings in the Ochil Hills. Forth Naturalist and Historian 3 71-77, 2 figs.
Roger, Charles 1853 A Week at Bridge of Allan, / comprising an account of the Spa, and a series of six excursions to the interesting /scenery of / central Scotland. Adam & Charles Black, Edinburgh. Reprinted 1995 by Stirling District Libraries. 186.
Scott, Douglas M, May 1997 Mining in the Ochils. Scots Mag 146 (5) 488-492 Alva Silver Mine, Bridge of Allan, Airthrey Silver Mine, Blairlogie Copper Mines, Burn of Sorrow Mine, Mill Glen Trial, Daiglen Mine, Kirk Glen Trial, Balquharn Mine, Carnaughton Silver Mine.
Wilson 1921 143
Cutting coal in my spare time.