Grove Rake mine was somewhere I've wanted to visit for some time. I first saw a photo of it in a book a few years back, but had no idea where it was. More recently, there have been a few reports on 28DL and DerP, and with the wonder of Geograph, I was finally able to pinpoint it's location. It's an ace little explore, with something for everyone - high stuff, underground, and surface stuff as well. As I was on my own, I stuck to the surface stuff, but you could easily pass a good few hours here, and it's definitely worth the trek. Probably my last explore of 2008, and also my favourite!
A spot of history, ripped off from this excellent website: http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/mines/Grove-Rake_695/Grove-Rake.asp
Groverake Mine
The Groverake mine is located at the junction of the Groverake, Greencleugh, and Red veins about 4.5 kilometers northwest of Rookhope, near the head of the burn. Mining in the area likely predates the seventeenth century, but major development was started by the Beaumont Company in the late eighteenth century, including the sinking of two shafts on the Red and Groverake veins, which ultimately reached levels in and below the Great Limestone. Although the veins proved rich in fluorspar, they were relatively poor in lead. Dunham (1990) reported that between 1818 and 1883, they produced only 6,498 tons of lead concentrates.
With the departure of Beaumont, the mine was picked up in 1884, by the Weardale Lead Company, which, followed by a succession of several operators, worked the property for both fluorspar and lead until 1940. Problems with the treatment of the fluorspar ores to remove silica evidently limited the success of the mine during this period.
More successful operations were begun during World War II by Blanchland Fluor Mines, Ltd., and then followed by British Steel. During the British Steel tenancy, the Rake level was driven northward from the area of the shafts to access the upper levels of both the Red and Groverake veins, and the Firestone dib (local term for a decline) was put in to access lower levels on the same veins. Although these tunnels never interconnected with the shaftaccessed workings, they are considered part of the Groverake mine complex (Younger 2003).
Fluorspar deposits on both veins proved rich, and the mine became one of the top fluorspar producers in the region during the latter part of the century. With the collapse of British Steel in the early 1980s, the mine was acquired by Weardale Minerals and Mining, whose parent company, Minworth, Ltd., was itself forced into receivership in 1991. The mine was then purchased by Sherburn Minerals and worked until summer 1999. At the time of its final closure, Groverake was the last commercial fluorspar mine operating in the North Pennines.
General view formt he main road. It's a bit remote and bleak.
Getting closer. There's not as much left as there was 5 years ago, No.1 headgear has gone, for instance.
Entrance to an adit.
Looking up the inside of No.2 headgear.
No.2 headgear and the remnants of the winding house
Teeth.
No.1 pit's winding gear.
Paperwork - this was a book of proforma's rather than a learned report, alas
View from what was I think the managers office.
Ace locker room.
Random sign in the locker room
I'm presuming this was where the miners put their tags. The top comartments contained birds nests
Another adit entrance.
Site of No.1 headgear.
Favourite pic of the day.
A spot of history, ripped off from this excellent website: http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/mines/Grove-Rake_695/Grove-Rake.asp
Groverake Mine
The Groverake mine is located at the junction of the Groverake, Greencleugh, and Red veins about 4.5 kilometers northwest of Rookhope, near the head of the burn. Mining in the area likely predates the seventeenth century, but major development was started by the Beaumont Company in the late eighteenth century, including the sinking of two shafts on the Red and Groverake veins, which ultimately reached levels in and below the Great Limestone. Although the veins proved rich in fluorspar, they were relatively poor in lead. Dunham (1990) reported that between 1818 and 1883, they produced only 6,498 tons of lead concentrates.
With the departure of Beaumont, the mine was picked up in 1884, by the Weardale Lead Company, which, followed by a succession of several operators, worked the property for both fluorspar and lead until 1940. Problems with the treatment of the fluorspar ores to remove silica evidently limited the success of the mine during this period.
More successful operations were begun during World War II by Blanchland Fluor Mines, Ltd., and then followed by British Steel. During the British Steel tenancy, the Rake level was driven northward from the area of the shafts to access the upper levels of both the Red and Groverake veins, and the Firestone dib (local term for a decline) was put in to access lower levels on the same veins. Although these tunnels never interconnected with the shaftaccessed workings, they are considered part of the Groverake mine complex (Younger 2003).
Fluorspar deposits on both veins proved rich, and the mine became one of the top fluorspar producers in the region during the latter part of the century. With the collapse of British Steel in the early 1980s, the mine was acquired by Weardale Minerals and Mining, whose parent company, Minworth, Ltd., was itself forced into receivership in 1991. The mine was then purchased by Sherburn Minerals and worked until summer 1999. At the time of its final closure, Groverake was the last commercial fluorspar mine operating in the North Pennines.
General view formt he main road. It's a bit remote and bleak.
Getting closer. There's not as much left as there was 5 years ago, No.1 headgear has gone, for instance.
Entrance to an adit.
Looking up the inside of No.2 headgear.
No.2 headgear and the remnants of the winding house
Teeth.
No.1 pit's winding gear.
Paperwork - this was a book of proforma's rather than a learned report, alas
View from what was I think the managers office.
Ace locker room.
Random sign in the locker room
I'm presuming this was where the miners put their tags. The top comartments contained birds nests
Another adit entrance.
Site of No.1 headgear.
Favourite pic of the day.
