Lead Mining
Cobscar Mill Chimney and remains of the lead smelt mill flue on Redmire Moor, Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, North Yorkshire.
Surrender Smelt Mill and the remains of the peat store near Surrender Bridge, Reeth, Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales.
Old Gang Lead Mine spoil heaps and smelt mill on Melbecks Moor near Reeth in Swaledale, North Yorkshire.
Old Gang Smelt Mill near Reeth, Swaledale, Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire. In the smelt mill, the ore pellets of limestone, often calcite and galena (lead) were heated in a furnace. The lead, with its low melting point could fairly quickly be separated, drained away and poured into moulds to make ingots of pure metal.
Old Gang Smelt Mill near Reeth, Swaledale, Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire.
In the smelt mill, the ore pellets of limestone, often calcite and galena (lead) were heated in a furnace. The lead, with its low melting point could fairly quickly be separated, drained away and poured into moulds to make ingots of pure metal.
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The remains of the peat store, Old Gang Smelt Mill, Reeth, Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire.
Peat, cut from the moors and dried in this open-sided storehouse, was used to fuel the furnaces of the smelt mill. This open-sided building was 119m long and originally had a thatched roof. It could hold enough locally-dug peat for a year's smelting.
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Spring sandwort - Minuartia verna.
Also known as leadwort and vernal sandwort, this nationally rare tiny flower, favours the spoil heaps of old lead workings.
Swinner Gill Smelt Mill at the junction with East Grain Gill, Keld Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire.
The smelt mill was operational from 1804-1819.
Wet Grooves Lead Mine on the Oxclose Road at Woodhall near Carperby in Wensleydale, the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire.
The Knott, riddled with old workings of the Wet Grooves Lead Mine below Ivy Scar on the Oxclose Road at Woodhall near Carperby in Wensleydale, the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire.