RICH SEAM OF LEAD FOUND IN SCOTLAND.

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JMB
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Newbie Topic Starter

8 years ago

I presume nothing every came of this!

From the British Newspaper Archive

Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 28 February 1919
Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

RICH SEAM OF LEAD FOUND IN SCOTLAND.

The Central News says rich seam of lead was discovered last week while work was proceeding new road between Ballachulish and Kinlochleven. The seam, which is nine inches thick, seems to be pure lead. The existence is also reported of another seam of lead place known (Camus-Na-Hareah, on the opposite side of Lochleven.

Martin Briscoe
Fort William

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Morlock
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8 years ago

Sounds like some news reporter got carried away?

http://www.galleries.com/Lead

BertyBasset
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8 years ago

I reckon they intercepted a dyke forming part of the Etive dyke swarm, fore-mentioned which appear all over the shop here. Coarse, dark and shiny basic crystals could possibly be mistaken for galena ?

Certainly no mining evidence on the OS map.

Robin

JMB
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Newbie Topic Starter

8 years ago

The road was built by German POWs and Conscientious Objectors but there would presumably be experienced road builders in charge so it seems likely they saw something unusual , whatever it was.

Martin Briscoe
Fort William

Morlock
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8 years ago

I'm also sure they found something, just doubt it was pure lead. ("seems to be pure lead"):)

John Lawson
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8 years ago

Clearly someone was completely fooled into making this statement!
Lead is normally found as the Sulphide, galena.
Hence can never be 'pure'.
At the most it can only be around 85% lead.
There are no significant lead mines in this area!
My guess is, when the road was being widened, presumably to allow for access to the Aluminium smelter works?
They found a vein of muscovite mica?
This is soft and shiny and which may on first examination look like lead. Presumably somebody made 2 + 2 =5.

davetidza
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8 years ago

I'm afraid Fake News was as prevalent in the Mining Journal in the 19th, 20th and sometimes later centuries as it might be elsewhere today and spread itself by a similar osmosis as Twitter and Facebook does to the rest of the Press.

Dave