Howard
There is this from
Mining Journal 1878. Ma5 15th. P. 270
Lead Mining in Sark
Sir,- The following particulars of mining in Sark may interest “Curiosity,”
whose letter appeared in last week’s Journal. The mines were near Port
Gowray. There were two lodes, ore silver-lead and one copper. They ran from N.E.
to S.W. in felspathic and hornblendic rocks containing much chlorite and
probably Llandelio age – the age of the lead-bearing strata of Shropshire and
Cardiganshire. The Silver-lead lode varied in width from 1ft 5in to 11 ft.,
average 6 ft. The copper lode ranged from 2 ft 5 in., to 5 ft., averaging 3 ft 9
in. The lodes were made up of the ingredients of the adjacent rocks, together
with calcareous spar in strings and masses, granular quartz, veins of course
jasper, and masses of agate. The lodes were also charged with iron pyrites
and earthy brown iron ore, the latter giving place to the former in depth. The
silver lode in the N.E. portion contained to a depth of 24 fms. a
preponderance of lead ores with galena at the base, this became mixed with anitimony in
depth, and was replaced by various ores of silver-earthy, black, vitreous,
and red, together with copper ores. This lode was worked 64 fms, from surface
and 40 fms, below the sea level. The argentiferous lead ores produced 20 to
85 per cent of lead, and from 30 to 300 ozs. Of silver. One sample 54 fms from
surface gave 530 ozs. Silver to the ton of ore. I am not informed concerning
the commercial history of the company, or why the mine, apparently so rich,
was abandoned. D’Elgo.
If your interested, I also have a note about lead mining on Jersey (as a
jpeg file) from the Mining Journal, 1871 Nov 18th. p.1018
Ian Spensley
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