Hematite with Quartz, Calcite

specimen number:
2063260

location:
Beckermet Mine, Egremont, Cumbria, England, UK

description:
Classic British specimen, a hematite matrix is covered on top completely with lustrous micaceous thin platy crystals of hematite to 0.2 cm in size. Scattered over the top of this are dark smoky colored crystals of glassy gemmy quartz 1.3 cm in size and colorless to slightly reddish crystals of calcite to 0.3 cm. This is in good condition. The specimen comes with previous labels from the collection of Ray DeMark and Robert Dickie.

Located southeast of Egremont in Cumbria, England, the Beckermet Mine operated from 1903 to 1973 as one of the major deep iron ore extraction sites in the West Cumbrian ore field. Geologically, the deposit consists of massive replacement bodies of rich red hematite hosted within Carboniferous limestone strata buried beneath Permo-Triassic sandstone and brockram breccias. The mine was initially worked by the Beckermet Mining Company Ltd to supply low-phosphorus iron ore for British steelmaking, eventually interconnecting with adjacent underground workings like the Florence and Ullcoats pits. Beyond its primary industrial output of hematite, Beckermet became well known among mineral collectors for producing notable display specimens, including lustrous quartz, dolomite, fluorite, and brilliant calcite crystal clusters recovered from mineralized cavity pockets and fault zones.

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