I'm going to the Isle of Arran this summer, since we haven't been to Scotland for about three years, and having done a little resurch on the mines on Arran - I can determine that this
island holds a few Barytees mines, + an underground limestone mine, which I'm looking forward to visiting. If anyone can give me some more info then it'd be much appreciated.
Also - I might be undergoing a visit to The distant islands of Harris, Lewis, Bembecular and North and South Uist. Does anyone know of any mines here?

cheers;
Linden

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I went to Arran a few years ago on an A Level geology field trip. Don't remember seeing any mines myself but we went into a cave-like limestone quarry in Corrie, and if I remember correctly there was a Land Rover parked in there!

I understand that there are coal mines near the Cock of Arran as well.

Hoping to go back there this May - its a beautiful place. If you drive along the A841 for long enough you get back to where you started! We also found a dinosaur footprint at Blackwaterfoot. I'll see if I can dig some photos out.

Hi there, thanks for the info - I wasn't aware of any coal mining there, so that gives me something else to look at 😉 ::)
The limestone quarry sounds interesting, I have heard it's a very good place to witness different types of geology on the island.

regards

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There was a large barytes mine at Glen Sannox, worked until 1939. Was about 300ft deep according to my plan & section, now flooded below adit.

According to the Geological Survey book, 'The Limestones of Scotland'. The quarries at Corrie worked a bed of limestone about 20ft thick. The line of quarries follows the outcrop up the hillside above Corrie Harbour for about 400yds. The underground workings are in the stretch of face nearest the harbour. There is an old kiln close to the main road.

Thats sounds like the place we went. We didn't walk far from the main road at all. On the beach there are rocks with fossilised dinosaur footprints in them and a rock with a drill hole that our Geology teacher called a Bachelor Delight machine!

There is a website on Scottish Mines:

http://www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/~arb/scotland/mines_biblio.html 

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There are levels on the north side of Glen Sannox. A bit wet (knee deep I think, it was a few years ago) but one can access big stopes.

Aha - that's interesting...

Any more references to coal mining on the island?

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I was on Arran in March also for Alevel geology. We visited a bell coal mine at Laggen Harbour (North East Arran) where the ruins of a village transported to Canada during the land clearing still stand to an extent. Laggen is more famous for its arthropod trace fossil though rather than its mining.
The problem with the bell mine is that it is filled with water all year round... but saying that, it is a lovely site to visit.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g187/leanneay/Arran/Arran082.jpg 
I dont know if that was any help. x

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The problem with the bell mine is that it is filled with water all year round... but saying that, it is a lovely site to visit.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g187/leanneay/Arran/Arran082.jpg 
I dont know if that was any help. x

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Lovely photo. Better find a tame cave divers. Would be interested to know what is beneath the water.

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I've done a trip-report for Glen-Sannox mines, unfortunatly I can't even remember the dates of operation.
I only found one level on South Side of Glen, this was a short distance up the mountainside to a couple of shafts and what could potentially be another level. Presumably the shafts lead to a level going beneath the river to the north side of the glen, running beneath another shaft on the north side.
I found two levels on the north, one was too wet, the other at the top of the incline was also very wet but I did get in there for a few minutes, both of these levels looked like they had been of great-significance.
Above the upper level was a large open stope which appeared to drop into the level below. Above this a small trial and openwork + various tips with no underground bits in sight.
🔗Glen-Sannox-Baryte-Mine-User-Album-Image-034[linkphoto]Glen-Sannox-Baryte-Mine-User-Album-Image-034[/linkphoto][/link]

Heb would you mind checking some of the details with your survey if it's at close-hand?

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Possibly not an 'Exploration' site but there is a working Limestone quarry on Islay, on the Dunlossit estate.

It used to, amongst other things, provide surfaces for all the roads on the island but with the Tarring Plant shut down (info found on another website) the islands roads are deteriorating and consideration is being given to trucking in stuff.

http://www.dunlossit.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=63682 

(Site seems to have broken since I posted the link 😞 )

Rick

Possibly not an 'Exploration' site but there is a working Limestone quarry on Islay, on the Dunlossit estate.

It used to, amongst other things, provide surfaces for all the roads on the island but with the Tarring Plant shut down (info found on another website) the islands roads are deteriorating and consideration is being given to trucking in stuff.

http://www.dunlossit.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=63682 

(Site seems to have broken since I posted the link 😞 )

Rick

Appears to be 'live' again now. 🙂

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