Mine - copper

The National Monuments Service's description

In the upper part of an E-facing rock scarp, c. 6m N of another mine. This is a possible copper mining site belonging to Mount Gabriel Prehistoric mining complex (CO139-026001-). On inspection in 1984 it consisted of a near-horizontal working driven into a low rock face (L c. 4m), defined by a shallow open-cut (L 2.5m; Wth c. 0.6 to c. 1.5m) to the E, which contained mineralized calcareous conglomerates. There was a low hanging wall developed c. 1.5m from the back (H 1.1m int.). The wall-rock had a broken appearance, and in the entrance area the fracture pattern suggested the use of iron implements, though there were no obvious pick-marks or bore-holes. The backwall had a stepped angular appearance rather than the smooth concave profile associated with fire-setting. There was a deposit of sticky clay-like sediment at the backwall.

The opening is man-made, but it is difficult to assess whether it is a prehistoric copper mine. It may be one of the workings recorded by Duffy (1929) and Jackson (1968) in this area. On inspection a small quantity of loose rubble and decaying vegetation was removed, and no primary mine sediments were found. A spread of loose broken stone exposed along a steep slope (L c. 8m) immediately in front of the working, devoid of charcoal and stone mauls, appeared to be of modern date and may relate to activity within the past 200 years. (O'Brien 1994, 319 and 321: mine 12).

This is a National Monument in State Care.

The above description is derived from William O’Brien’s monograph ‘Mount Gabriel, Bronze Age mining in Ireland’ (Galway: Galway University Press, 1994).

Image attached:
CO139-084----_01: Interior of mine (in O'Brien 1994, 321).

Date of upload: 30 June 2023

References:

1. Duffy, T.J. 1929 Unpublished field sheets, Geological Survey of Ireland. Dublin.
2. Jackson, J.S. 1968 Bronze Age copper mines on Mount Gabriel, west County Cork, Ireland. Arch. Austriaca 43, 92-103.
3. O'Brien, W. 1994 Mount Gabriel: Bronze Age mining in Ireland. Galway University Press.