Fountainhead
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Mineralogy of Scotland | Favourable | — | 2012-12-04 |
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Granite
Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous
Description
FOUNTAINHEAD Fountainhead, lying on the northern slopes of Hare Hill approximately 4km southeast of New Cumnock, is a disused antimony mine of interest for its mineralogy. The antimony mine is associated with a small area of granite, intrusive into Lower Palaeozoic strata. The vein is thought to trend north-south, but it is not now exposed because the adit level has collapsed. The main interest visible within the site is the associated spoil dumps. Ore is present on two dumps, one of which consists of hand picked material. Specimens from this dump contain long needles of stibnite in quartz, often encrusted with yellow secondary minerals. Some specimens resemble a vein of grey ore from 4-8 cm wide bordered by silicified wallrock. The grey antimony ore is possibly multiphase, but contains large distinct laths of crystalline stibnite and only minor quartz. It would seem the ore occurs as stringers and pods along a quartz vein. The lower dump contains country rock and quartz vein material with very little antimony. The site is the best locality of antimony minerals in Scotland and for stibnite in Britain, but the relationships of the mineralisation to the host rocks are obscure and could be usefully investigated.