Fallowfield Mine

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 55.0026, -2.1002

Also within

Northumberland County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
NY930672 Favourable 0.4 2012-02-08
NY936675 Favourable 0.4 2012-02-08

Description

Area, 0.19 hectares 0.47 ac Description Fallowfield Mine is one of the two world type localities of the very rare double carbonate mineral alstonite. While the other type locality Brownley Hill Mine, near Alston no longer yields the mineral, specimens can still be found from dumps at Fallowfield, even though these are now largely overgrown and planted with trees. Alstonite is found associated with witherite and baryte and is often finely crystallised showing the characteristic pseudohexagonal pyramids. This site provides evidence of the status of the rare double carbonate minerals in the North Pennine paragenetic sequence.