Mine - copper

The National Monuments Service's description

In rough boggy pasture used for cattle grazing, located in the NW face of a rock outcrop. This primitive copper mine is found at an elevation of c. 80m OD on the upper E side of a gully at the SW extent of a level ridge of outcropping which runs for 190m NE/SW along the NW facing slopes of Eagle Hill on Lamb’s Head. It consists of a wide shallow opening c. 2.5m wide x 2.5m high which narrows and decreases in height towards the rear. Within 1m of the rear, the sides and the overhang steadily decrease from a width of c. 1.6m and a height of 1m to eventually converge at ground level. To the left of the opening, copper mineralization is present on the rock face and on a number of small loose boulders at ground level. A spoil heap composed of blue/grey coloured sandstone rocks, some of which have quartz veins, occur c. 8m downslope to N from the opening on the N side of this low drystone wall area and occupies an area c. 4m x 4m which is largely devoid of vegetation save for stereocaulon, a metallophyllic lichen. A rock surface at the same elevation which is located on the far side of the rear of the mine on the exposed N face of the outcrop also appears to have been worked although no copper mineralization is present. This rock surface overlooks Derrynane Harbour and is accessible at N via loose steps composed of flag stones which run from a largely level area (possibly created by the workings) N of the rock surface towards the low drystone wall below. Identified as a copper mine by Aoibheann Lambe (2018).

Compiled by: Aoibheann Lambe

Date of upload: 20 June 2018