Robert Broughton's Photo Gallery
V5N-E8VPyrite FeS2
Bestridge quarry, Swimbridge, North Devon, Devon, England, UKPorphoryblastic hydrothermal Pyrite in large groupings of single cubic masses and disseminated grains within a shale/mudstone matrix.
This specimen is amongst the last to come out of the winter 2009 season workings at Dead Sheep Hole. This pocket of hydrothermal gangue minerals is now virtually exhausted. Jan 2010 saw the last 1/2 kg of poor specimens to come from this locality.
NB: 2pence piece = 25mm in diameter.
Eastern Shaft (flooded) and pumping pit.
East Combe Mine, Swimbridge, North Devon, Devon, England, UKThe masonry lined east shaft at Coombe Valley Consols (Swimbridge Mine).
This site was worked for argentiferous galena and various iron ores, an outlying extension of the Bampfylde Lode.
P3H-FDRQuartz SiO2 , Siderite FeCO3
East Combe Mine, Swimbridge, North Devon, Devon, England, UKSmall gangue sample of hydrothermal vein quartz. From spoil tips surrounding the East shaft of Coombe Valley Consols Mine.
NB: 2pence piece = 25mm in diameter.
YQF-T3JSiderite FeCO3 , Quartz SiO2
East Combe Mine, Swimbridge, North Devon, Devon, England, UKTypical gangue sample from the spoil tips of West Coombe Consols. This sample is from the Eastern Shaft.
NB: 2pence piece = 25mm in diameter.
View of adit workings
Tregoodwell adit, Advent, Cornwall, England, UKBats inhabiting the far end of Tregoodwell adit.
View of loose spoil.
Bestridge quarry, Swimbridge, North Devon, Devon, England, UKA view here of the loose spoil in the banks. Frequents falls of debris occur during wet weather. This photo is taken from the position of the old trackbed.
Orange and white encrusting calcitic minerals can be found along this section of the spoil face.
Work at this site over winter 2009 and summer 2010 will continue at Dead Sheep Hole for more Chalcopyrite and other associated hydrothermal minerals. Coombe Valley Consols (South Coombe Martin) mine continues to yield Sphalerite amongst the hdrothermal vein quartz, and work here will focuss on locating the argentiferous galena the site produced.
Swimbridge Consols Reworkings.
View of Limekiln at the Marsh quarry site.
Bestridge quarry, Swimbridge, North Devon, Devon, England, UKThis is one of four attached limekilns visible at the far eastern end of the Marsh Quarry site.
View of Quarry entrance.
Bestridge quarry, Swimbridge, North Devon, Devon, England, UKBestridge Quarry Limestone workings, Swimbridge, North Devon, UK
Large entrance way cut through previous spoil heaps. Abundant Westphalian fossil fauna can be found here, particularly bivalve Posidonia sp. and small goniates.
In 2008 small scale re-working of these spoil heaps produced limited quantities of porphoryblastic hydrothermal Chalcoyrite in large groupings of single cubic masses (From Dead Sheep Hole, the left of view). Approx 4 kilos of material sold for collections.
Work at this site over winter 2009 and summer 2010 will continue at Dead Sheep Hole for more Chalcopyrite and other associated hydrothermal minerals. West Coombe Consols (South Coombe Martin) mine continues to yield Sphalerite amongst the hdrothermal vein quartz, and work here will focuss on locating the argentiferous galena the site produced.
Update Jan 2010: mineralised veins from Dead Sheep Hole are now virtually worked out with only a few kilo's of specimens remaining in storage.
Swimbridge Consols Reworkings.
View of flooded main workings.
Bestridge quarry, Swimbridge, North Devon, Devon, England, UKSwimbridge Consols Limestone workings, in the parish of Swimbridge, North Devon. Please note this site is private property.
Approx 600 feet across by 300 wide. Waters surveyed to atleast 50' depth. Here the Crackington formation has been completely stripped away revealing slates of the Pilton beds. Extensive fossil fauna including trilobite Spatulina spatulata.
Work at this site over winter 2009 and summer 2010 will continue at Dead Sheep Hole for more Chalcopyrite and other associated hydrothermal minerals. Coombe Valley Consols (South Coombe Martin) mine continues to yield Sphalerite amongst the hdrothermal vein quartz, and work here will focuss on locating the argentiferous galena the site produced.
Swimbridge Consols Reworkings.
YYW-M37Chalcopyrite CuFeS2
Bestridge quarry, Swimbridge, North Devon, Devon, England, UKSwymbridge Consols Lime Workings, Swimbridge, North Devon.
This site is an extensive former limestone working in the parish of Swimbridge, North Devon, UK.
A quarried syncline of the Crackington formation inbetween ridges of the Coddon Chert.
Isolated cubic masses upto 1cm square.