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MineralsWitherite

6th Jun 2023 13:57 UTCPaul BarrettOP

Witherite (or possibly) Weatherite.
I have been left various sized pieces of Witherite by my late Father.
The family don’t know much about it.
We think it was mined in Northumberland, England, possibly in the 1960s.
There doesn’t appear to be much information online, so I’m here to try to find out any information - where it was mined.
Is it still being mined?
Is it only mined in the UK?
Is it rare?
Is it valuable?
Any help would be gratefully received.
Thank you in advance.

6th Jun 2023 14:17 UTCKevin ConroyManager

If you can post some photos of the specimens, an expert may be able to tell you where a piece is from.  Just reply to yourself, then you can add one photo per reply.  Do this as many times as you have photos.

All specimens have value, mainly scientific and historical interest.  Some have monetary value, but we don't discuss this on Mindat.

Some of the other questions can be answered better after we see the photos of your witherite.

9th Jun 2023 09:52 UTCPaul BarrettOP

01748800017364232203284.jpg
More pics to follow - I think I have to upload them individually

6th Jun 2023 14:21 UTCTimothy Greenland

Hello Paul
Witherite is barium carbonate and is a useful ore of barium. I collected witherite (among other things) at the Settlingstones mine in Northumberland in the early 1960s where it was quite abundant. I also found it at mines in the Shelve district of Shropshire. I know of no working mines exploiting witherite in Britain today, but there are certainly many worldwide localites where it is worked (though usually as a minor ore component).
It is not particularly rare, but well formed crystalline specimens are of interest to mineral collectors. As to its value - Mindat does not allow monetary valuations.
Good luck

Tim

6th Jun 2023 14:27 UTCKevin ConroyManager

To learn a little more about witherite:

5th Jul 2023 11:46 UTCTom Cotterell

Please can I suggest a few corrections to the witherite pages?
There is absolutely no evidence (published or specimens) that Brownley Hill Mine is the Type Locality. It is particularly unhelpful to have images of specimens from a mineral dealer claiming to be from Brownley Hill Mine when there are no historic labels to prove this and the specimens are atypical of the few rare modern examples of witherite found in that mine.
I have recently published a very detailed article covering the witherite Type Locality issue in Journal of the Russell Society (2022) which explains that there is also evidence to show that Alston Moor was 'fabricated' as the Type Locality and that the real source was Anglezarke in Lancashire. Witherite obviously occurs at Alston Moor, but it appears that it was not recognized as such until the early 19th century, several decades after the mineral was first described.
Tom

5th Jul 2023 12:49 UTCUwe KolitschManager

I have recently published a very detailed article covering the witherite Type Locality issue in Journal of the Russell Society (2022)
 Can you provide the full reference?

5th Jul 2023 13:23 UTCTom Cotterell

Yes, certainly:

Cotterell, T.F. (2022).Pondering the discovery of aerated ponderous spar: The type locality and early history of witherite.Journal of the Russell Society, 25, 10-56.

 

5th Jul 2023 14:19 UTCHerwig Pelckmans

Looks like we don't have that reference in the database.
certainly not mentioned on the witherite page.
A pity such references are not added on a regular basis. Somewhat surprising even, considering it to be an article published in that Journal.

Cheers, Herwig

7th Jul 2023 09:08 UTCUwe KolitschManager

Thanks, TL now changed, comment added on mineral page and locality pages and ref. added to these pages.
Please check.

7th Jul 2023 12:04 UTCTom Cotterell

Thanks for the update.
Just for clarity, the TL was for many years assumed to be Alston Moor (with no specific locality). The link to Brownley Hill Mine appears to have been generated on Mindat.org as I have never seen it written in print anywhere.
The update to Anglezarke being the TL is correct.
Thanks 

7th Jul 2023 13:31 UTCUwe KolitschManager

Just for clarity, the TL was for many years assumed to be Alston Moor (with no specific locality). The link to Brownley Hill Mine appears to have been generated on Mindat.org as I have never seen it written in print anywhere.
 Ok, will amend the text accordingly.

9th Jun 2023 09:55 UTCPaul BarrettOP

I hope you can see the three pics I’ve sent so far

9th Jun 2023 10:20 UTCKeith Compton🌟Manager

Paul 
You simply just need to reply to yourself in this thread to add additional photos.

9th Jun 2023 10:28 UTCPaul BarrettOP

Thanks Keith I’m new to this!

9th Jun 2023 10:30 UTCPaul BarrettOP

Can you see any pics?

9th Jun 2023 11:21 UTCPaul BarrettOP

There should be 9 pics uploaded.
Can you see them?

9th Jun 2023 11:26 UTCBret Howard🌟

I only see one picture. 

9th Jun 2023 11:53 UTCKevin ConroyManager

Paul Barrett  ✉️

There should be 9 pics uploaded.
Can you see them?
 Like Bret, I only see one photo.  When you're posting a new message, wait until the photo fully loads in your message before you hit the "post" button.

From the picture that you've posted this is a very good sized specimen!

9th Jun 2023 11:37 UTCJohan KjellmanExpert

Paul, you could compare your pieces with the images here on mindat
here is a link to images of "witherite from Northumberland":

5th Jul 2023 11:30 UTCTom Cotterell

Paul, that is a very large specimen indeed. One thing to remember with witherite is that it is soft mineral, and very heavy. Therefore, it is very easy to damage the crystals on the surface, so if you have other specimens they should be carefully handled and well packaged in storage, or for transport otherwise they will be easily damaged. This large specimen has lots of crystals on the surface, but many of them appear damaged (what we would term 'bruised') which cannot be fixed.
As too where it could be from, having a potential date of collection, and county, allows certain sites to be narrowed down. The size of the specimen suggests that it was not just picked up off a mine dump, but came from a working mine, so a search of what mines where active in Northumberland at that time might help. However, also be aware that witherite was also found in some of the collieries too!

7th Jul 2023 18:56 UTCHerwig Pelckmans

Tom Cotterell  ✉️

Cotterell, T.F. (2022).Pondering the discovery of aerated ponderous spar
 Tom,
Would it be possible to send me an electronic copy of your article? It's the kind of articles I really like to read. In any case, I will send you my email in a PM.
Thanks already for considering.
Cheers, Herwig
 
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