Some history plucked from the company’s website;
‘The mine at Long Rake was opened by W.G. Cooke and Co. in 1867 to extract fluorspar, calcite, and lead with production beginning in 1872. By 1881 the Long Rake Spar Mining Company had been founded and extraction continued to expand, with the company owning the above surface level and a nearby quarry site.’
From an old report on nwex.co.uk;
‘…the plant was erected in 1924/25 and a shaft 300ft sank. This was wound by a 12HP vertical boilered winding engine. The mine went on to have 3 levels at 300, 375 and 425ft. The lower 2 being accessed by underground declines.’
Underground spar extraction ceased in 1981 but the above ground works is still in full swing to this day.
Visited with @Gsxrwayne
There is clearly more here to see but recent infilling and collapses have made things a trifle difficult. But this is what we managed. Pix are a mix of phone and DSLR.
Stope
Nice array of wooden chutes for the spar
That's your lot, cheers for looking
‘The mine at Long Rake was opened by W.G. Cooke and Co. in 1867 to extract fluorspar, calcite, and lead with production beginning in 1872. By 1881 the Long Rake Spar Mining Company had been founded and extraction continued to expand, with the company owning the above surface level and a nearby quarry site.’
From an old report on nwex.co.uk;
‘…the plant was erected in 1924/25 and a shaft 300ft sank. This was wound by a 12HP vertical boilered winding engine. The mine went on to have 3 levels at 300, 375 and 425ft. The lower 2 being accessed by underground declines.’
Underground spar extraction ceased in 1981 but the above ground works is still in full swing to this day.
Visited with @Gsxrwayne
There is clearly more here to see but recent infilling and collapses have made things a trifle difficult. But this is what we managed. Pix are a mix of phone and DSLR.
Stope
Nice array of wooden chutes for the spar
That's your lot, cheers for looking
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