Foggintor Quarry, Princetown, Dartmoor Forest, West Devon, Devon, England, UKi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Foggintor Quarry | Quarry (Flooded) |
| Princetown | Town |
| Dartmoor Forest | Civil Parish |
| West Devon | Borough |
| Devon | County |
| England | Constituent Country |
| UK | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
50° 32' 36'' North , 4° 1' 24'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Quarry (Flooded) - last checked 2020
KΓΆppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Princetown | 1,366 (2018) | 2.5km |
| Dousland | 833 (2018) | 5.6km |
| Horrabridge | 3,728 (2018) | 6.7km |
| Yelverton | 3,627 (2018) | 7.1km |
| Tavistock | 12,280 (2018) | 8.5km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| British Micromount Society, Devon and Cornwall Branch Meetings | Liskeard, Cornwall | 33km |
Mindat Locality ID:
295926
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:295926:2
GUID (UUID V4):
14f2ca95-6df3-479d-be48-0fd951fc7dbe
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
"Yellowmeade Quarry"
This is a partially flooded (disused) granite quarry in the central part of the Dartmoor pluton, accompanied by extensive finger dumps of waste granite.
A single, significant uraniferous vein cuts across the granite partially filling a single, continuous joint of between 1mm and 12mm thickness. Other parts of the granite also contain pockets of mineralisation. The dumps and quarry litter are significantly more accessible than the quarry faces.
Zones of the granite containing many tiny miarolitic pockets and fine black-filled fractures exhibit both primary and secondary mineralisation.
The pockets contain, amongst others, dark tourmalines, and the black veins are likewise primarily massive tourmaline. The tourmaline-lined pockets may be considered diagnostic of potential rare-element mineralisation.
In these zones may be observed the complete gamut of local species.
The quarry is very similar in geology and mineralogy to the nearby Merrivale Quarry.
Of particular note is the range of fluorescent species at this location which includes uranium minerals and some feldspars. A special caution to UV prospectors is that many of the local lichens are UV reactive (generally yellow-white or pale pink), which includes at least one with a pale blue fluorescence.
The quarry boasts a rich flora and fauna as well as considerable scope for recreational activities. This is an area rich in industrial archaeological features as well as ancient, pre-industrial sites.
The whole site is within the Dartmoor National Park, and removal of material by the public is prohibited.
Public access is by the track from the public highway, about halfway between Rundlestone and Merrivale, and past Yellowmeade Farm; there are two entrances to the quarry - the northerly one accesses the flooded northern section and the southerly accesses the occasionally flooded southern section.
Particular caution is advised to visitors to this site as the footing is more than usually hazardous in some areas, and particularly so on the faces of the dumps.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
12 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| β Andersonite Formula: Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3 · 6H2O Habit: Distorted rhombohedra, indistinct; also massive, encrusting Colour: Yellowish Fluorescence: Reacts strongly to Long Wave UV light, emitting a diagnostic bluish-green. Description: Sparse, microscopic grains scattered across weathered surfaces associated with other fluorescent material.
Visible as tiny points of blue-green fluorescence under Long Wave UV.
Only observable at x45 and above. References: |
| β Autunite Formula: Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10-12H2O Habit: Tabular, highly metamict; encrusting Colour: Pale, dull green to greenish yellow Fluorescence: Rects strongly under Long Wave UV light with characteristic yellowish green. Description: Dull green to yellow metamict crystal groups found on weathered granite surfaces, also crustiform coatings.
Crystals to 0.5mm References: |
| β Bassetite ? Formula: Fe2+(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O Habit: Somewhat earthy in appearance Colour: dun-coloured Fluorescence: none Description: Inferred presence of Bassetite comes from the presence of a non-fluorescent, dun-coloured, earthy encrustation in direct contact with uraninite and weathered pyrite grains in the granite.
References: |
| β Becquerelite ? Formula: Ca(UO2)6O4(OH)6 · 8H2O Habit: Indeterminate - semi-crustose. Colour: brownish-yellow, appears very pale due to size of crystals. Fluorescence: Reacts under Long Wave UV: dim brownish orange Description: Appears as sparse, somewhat earthy encrustations of miniscule, brownish-yellow crystals on more exposed and weathered surfaces. As with other uranium minerals, this is associated with the weathering of uraninite in the granite.
Crystals are transparent and sufficiently small to give the impression of a pale colouration at moderate magnification (x45). |
| β Boltwoodite Formula: (K,Na)(UO2)(SiO3OH) · 1.5H2O Habit: Radial acicular groups to ~0.3mm across; also earthy, encrusting. Colour: Yellowish-brown to dull orange Fluorescence: Reacts weakly under Long Wave UV, emitting a dull brownish colour. Description: Minute earthy crusts in miarolitic cavities associated with uraninite, also with gummite crusts. References: |
| β Fluorite Formula: CaF2 Habit: cubic; compact and irregular Colour: White, purple to almost black Fluorescence: Barest hint of purple fluorescence under Long Wave UV Description: Compact masses partially filling cracks in the granite, associated with tourmaline veins and miarolitic cavities.
Material has been observed to form crystals about 5mm across, crystal faces rare.
Colour varies between white and purple, sometimes almost to purple-black where associated with smoky quartz and radioactive residues. Colours are zoned in many crystals. References: |
| β 'Gummite' Habit: Massive Colour: Brownish - may be mistaken for iron-stains. Description: Brown haloes associated with uraninite, often dusted with SalΓ©eite. References: |
| β Meta-autunite Formula: Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O Habit: Tabular, highly metamict; encrusting Colour: Pale, dull green to greenish yellow Fluorescence: Rects strongly under Long Wave UV light with characteristic yellowish green. Description: Dull green to yellow metamict crystal groups found on weathered granite surfaces, also crustiform coatings.
Crystals to 0.5mm References: |
| β Quartz Formula: SiO2 Habit: Prismatic, hemihedral at best. Colour: Pale; transparent to opaque white Description: Small crystals of pale quartz may be observed within miarolytic cavities within the granite. References: |
| β Quartz var. Smoky Quartz Formula: SiO2 Habit: Prismatic to 2.5mm across. Terminations rare. Colour: Dark brown; grey; almost black Description: Protruding into or traversing miarolitic pockets in tourmaline veins in the granite, these dark quartz crystals are associated with some traces of radioactive residues.
They are minerallogically significant only in being indicative of high levels of uranium mineralisation at some earlier time. References: |
| β SalΓ©eite Formula: Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O Habit: Tabular; crustiform Colour: Lemon yellow Fluorescence: Brilliant yellow reaction under Long Wave UV.
Some yellow reaction under blue (LED) light. Description: Minute crystals and crusts on surfaces within recent cracks in miarolitic granite, also within some miarolitic voids.
Associated with uraninite and gummite. References: |
| β Torbernite Formula: Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O Habit: tabular Colour: Green. Fluorescence: none Description: Occasional tabular crystals associated with other uranium minerals, also as fine encrustations.
Tabular crystals are typical for the species. References: |
| β 'Tourmaline' Formula: AD3G6 (T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z Habit: Prismatic, filiform; sheaf-like growths; compact and massive Colour: pale olive green; greenish-brown; brown to black; black Description: While black tourmalines are common in the Dartmoor Granite, euhedral tourmaline crystals are not.
The miarolitic pockets within the granite are almost invariably lined with dark tourmaline crystals - seen as parallel growths, hair-fine single crystals and sheaves. The cavities are rarely larger than a few millimetres across, and the tourmalines are scaled to suit.
This type of late-stage tourmaline development is considered an indicator of potential rare-element mineralisation. References: |
| β Uraninite Formula: UO2 Habit: Irregular, granular; massive Colour: Black, brownish-black Description: Minute grains (to about 1.5mm)disseminated through miarolytic granite, often included within feldspar crystals. A small, metamict halo surrounding the grains is diagnostic.
Where broken, the uraninite gives rise to a halo of brownish stain (gummite) and other secondary minerals (salΓ©eite, probably uranophane and possibly autunite etc.)
Also, massive in the single, visible vein within the quarry itself. References: |
| β Uranophane Formula: Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O Habit: Massive Colour: Brilliant lemon yellow. Fluorescence: Not fluorescent under UV light. Description: Minute crusts of lemon yellow, massive uranophane in cavities in tourmalinised granite.
Only observed at the foot of the dumps. References: |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| β | Fluorite | 3.AB.25 | CaF2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| β | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| β | var. Smoky Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| β | Uraninite | 4.DL.05 | UO2 |
| β | Becquerelite ? | 4.GB.10 | Ca(UO2)6O4(OH)6 Β· 8H2O |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| β | Andersonite | 5.ED.30 | Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3 Β· 6H2O |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| β | Autunite | 8.EB.05 | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 Β· 10-12H2O |
| β | SalΓ©eite | 8.EB.05 | Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2 Β· 10H2O |
| β | Torbernite | 8.EB.05 | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 Β· 12H2O |
| β | Bassetite ? | 8.EB.10 | Fe2+(UO2)2(PO4)2 Β· 10H2O |
| β | Meta-autunite | 8.EB.10 | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 Β· 6H2O |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| β | Boltwoodite | 9.AK.15 | (K,Na)(UO2)(SiO3OH) Β· 1.5H2O |
| β | Uranophane | 9.AK.15 | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 Β· 5H2O |
| Unclassified | |||
| β | 'Gummite' | - | |
| β | 'Tourmaline' | - | AD3G6 (T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | β Andersonite | Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3 · 6H2O |
| H | β Autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10-12H2O |
| H | β Bassetite | Fe2+(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O |
| H | β Becquerelite | Ca(UO2)6O4(OH)6 · 8H2O |
| H | β Boltwoodite | (K,Na)(UO2)(SiO3OH) · 1.5H2O |
| H | β Meta-autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| H | β SalΓ©eite | Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O |
| H | β Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| H | β Uranophane | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O |
| B | Boron | |
| B | β Tourmaline | AD3G6 (T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | β Andersonite | Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3 · 6H2O |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | β Andersonite | Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3 · 6H2O |
| O | β Autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10-12H2O |
| O | β Bassetite | Fe2+(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O |
| O | β Becquerelite | Ca(UO2)6O4(OH)6 · 8H2O |
| O | β Boltwoodite | (K,Na)(UO2)(SiO3OH) · 1.5H2O |
| O | β Meta-autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| O | β Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | β SalΓ©eite | Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O |
| O | β Quartz var. Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | β Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| O | β Tourmaline | AD3G6 (T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z |
| O | β Uraninite | UO2 |
| O | β Uranophane | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | β Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Na | Sodium | |
| Na | β Andersonite | Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3 · 6H2O |
| Na | β Boltwoodite | (K,Na)(UO2)(SiO3OH) · 1.5H2O |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | β SalΓ©eite | Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | β Boltwoodite | (K,Na)(UO2)(SiO3OH) · 1.5H2O |
| Si | β Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | β Quartz var. Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | β Uranophane | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | β Autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10-12H2O |
| P | β Bassetite | Fe2+(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O |
| P | β Meta-autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| P | β SalΓ©eite | Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O |
| P | β Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | β Boltwoodite | (K,Na)(UO2)(SiO3OH) · 1.5H2O |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | β Andersonite | Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3 · 6H2O |
| Ca | β Autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10-12H2O |
| Ca | β Becquerelite | Ca(UO2)6O4(OH)6 · 8H2O |
| Ca | β Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Ca | β Meta-autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| Ca | β Uranophane | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | β Bassetite | Fe2+(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | β Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| U | Uranium | |
| U | β Andersonite | Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3 · 6H2O |
| U | β Autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10-12H2O |
| U | β Bassetite | Fe2+(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O |
| U | β Becquerelite | Ca(UO2)6O4(OH)6 · 8H2O |
| U | β Boltwoodite | (K,Na)(UO2)(SiO3OH) · 1.5H2O |
| U | β Meta-autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| U | β SalΓ©eite | Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 10H2O |
| U | β Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| U | β Uraninite | UO2 |
| U | β Uranophane | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
British and Irish IslesGroup of Islands
Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
EuropeContinent
UK
- England
- Devon
- DartmoorNational Park
- Devon and Cornwall metalliferous mining districtMining District
- Devon
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References
