Meadowfoot Smelter slag locality

Wanlockhead, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK

The Meadowfoot Smelter slag locality refers to a slag smelter locale on the site of the Meadowfoot Mine. It was worked between 1843 and around 1930.

The site is known for secondary slag minerals, particularly of interest to micro mineral collectors. The lautenthalite and wroewolfite from the site may be of particular interest to collectors.

Mindat lists 56 mineral species from the site, often secondary lead and copper minerals, but some silver minerals are rarely found too.

The site may also be known as ‘Queensberry Smelter’.

The NLS maps site shows an old map of the site, with the smelter locality in the top left corner. Whether any dump sites remain on the site, I am unsure – the buildings were partially torn apart for scrap and were used as an artillery target during WW2.

I was lucky enough to buy an old micromounters collection of slag minerals from this locality, so am able (currently, at least) to offer a wide range of specimens from the locality.

Unfortunately, once they’re gone, they’re gone – the site is now covered by the Leadhills – Wanlockhead SSSI and collecting from the site is probably not allowed.

 

Further reading

 

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