Mimetite

specimen number:
2062831

location:
Dry Gill Mine, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria, England, UK

description:
Lustrous botryoidal crystallized mimetite, this the variety known as campylite, measuring to 0.4 cm in diameter rich across the top of matrix. In good condition. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

Dry Gill Mine is situated within the structurally complex Caldbeck Fells of Cumbria, England, where an inlier of Ordovician mudstones is bounded by volcanic and intrusive rocks. The site targeted a prominent quartz vein that occupies an east-west trending fault, hosting an exceptional assemblage of secondary supergene minerals formed through the weathering of primary ores. Although minor historical underground and opencast mining occurred during the 19th century to extract material for local industrial or glass-making uses rather than standard metal production, the location achieved global renown among mineral collectors. It is the type locality for campylite, a famous variety of mimetite characterized by distinctive barrel-shaped, curved, or rounded crystals with bright yellow, orange, or brown hues.

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