Gillheads Mine / Greenhow mines

NGR SE066620

In 1920 an incline, dipping at 1 in 2½, was driven down the vein from about 35 feet inbye of the Middle Level portal. In 1922 the bottom level was 40 feet below the adit level and was drained by a crevice in the limestone. Eventually the incline was 230 feet long and was around 90 feet below the adit at the bottom. Stoping was done over 300 feet of vein, with a maximum height of 140 feet above the bottom of the incline. The downward extension of the vein was cut off by a fault-plane which dipped southwards at 45 degrees. In this area, a stoping width of between six and ten feet yielded rich fluorspar. A branch vein, called Joyce Vein, was also developed from both within the mine and at its outcrop. It carried fluorspar and varied in width from one to six feet. Road access to the mine was poor and so most of the spar was hauled up a very steep inclined railway from the Middle Level entrance to a dressing plant on the edge of the gill. This plant had a diesel engine to drive the screen, jigs, pump and table, whilst the crusher was driven by a steam engine.