Wet Grooves Mine (Wet Groves Mine), Carperby-cum-Thoresby, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, England, UKi

Regional Level Types
Wet Grooves Mine (Wet Groves Mine)	Mine
Carperby-cum-Thoresby	Civil Parish
Richmondshire	District
North Yorkshire	County
England	Constituent Country
UK	Country

In the Yorkshire Dales National Park on the slopes of the moors about 2.25 km (1.4 mi) west-north-west of the village of Carperby can be found the remains of the former lead mine and tips of Wet Grooves. This is a post medieval lead mining complex with potential medieval origins. There are several groups of disused shafts. There is also evidence that a substantial amount of dressing activity took place. This possibly included the dressing of material from other areas of mining in the area. The dressing floors are supplied with water by leats. These were artificial watercourses dug into the ground for the delivery of water for mineral washing and concentration. There are a number of spoil heaps associated with the dressing waste. The amount of relatively fresh dressing waste suggests that there is likely to have been a significant degree of 20th century ore reprocessing work undertaken. Interesting spiralled shaft exploiting irregular pockets of ore, drained by Haw Bank Level.

Extensive workings there have produced some of the best specimens found in the Yorkshire Pennines. Baryte is particularly well crystallised in various habits and sometimes of a pale blue colour. Fluorite is common with clear to pale yellow un-twinned cubes to 60 mm. Calcite occurs in simple nail head form and in more complex aggregated habits. Some of the best Yorkshire aurichalcite occurs there and smithsonite is relatively common, but of an unattractive grey to pale orange colour.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References