Witherite was mined commercially at the Snailbeach mine in Shropshire, 900
or so tons being produced over the years. A small amount was also mined in
Flintshire. Fallowfield mine in Northumberland was a major producer until
WW1
It was used as for producing various barium chemicals as it was easier to
process that barite in that it was acid soluble. It had few uses as itself
but was(is?) used to control efflorescence on brickwork and was tried,
successfully during the 2nd war as an extender in paints and varnishes. The
carbonate in its refined form is used in pottery glazes and in enamelling
iron and steel.
----- Original Message -----
From: Alan Vickers <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2002 11:14 AM
Subject: Witherite.
I have been reading in David Temple's book The Collieries of Durham, Volume
2, of the discovery in 1932 of witherite (barium carbonate) in Morrisn North
pit, in County Durham, in sufficient quantities to be economically mined.
The following year a new shaft was sunk at Morrison for the purpose of
riding the men who were to extract the witherite.
Temple says that this made the Morrison pit and Settlingstones in
Northumberland as the only two pits in Britain to have discovered workable
reserves of witherite.
Can any list member tell me what witherite was used for?
Alan.
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