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Britannia Mine, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, Wales, UKi
Regional Level Types
Britannia MineMine (Abandoned)
BeddgelertCommunity
GwyneddCounty
WalesCountry
UKCountry

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PhotosMapsSearch
08654000017272016855959.jpg
Britannia Mine - looking along the vein

Britannia Mine, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
03762040017272016886010.jpg
Miners dries.

Britannia Mine, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
02138050017272016909383.jpg
Buildings

Britannia Mine, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
09291370017272016918685.jpg
Crushing hopper?

Britannia Mine, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
08654000017272016855959.jpg
Britannia Mine - looking along the vein

Britannia Mine, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
03762040017272016886010.jpg
Miners dries.

Britannia Mine, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
02138050017272016909383.jpg
Buildings

Britannia Mine, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
09291370017272016918685.jpg
Crushing hopper?

Britannia Mine, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
08689010017272017019069.jpg
Britannia Mine - looking along the vein

Britannia Mine, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
09455720017272017024422.jpg
Miners dries.

Britannia Mine, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, Wales, UK
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
53° 4' 16'' North , 4° 3' 57'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
53.07128,-4.06600
GRN:
N36W02
UK National Grid Reference:
SH616547
Type:
Mine (Abandoned) - last checked 2020
Köppen climate type:
Cfb : Temperate oceanic climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Llanberis1,844 (2017)6.7km
Deiniolen1,379 (2017)9.6km
Blaenau-Ffestiniog4,005 (2016)12.1km
Llanrug1,916 (2017)12.2km
Bethesda4,735 (2017)12.3km
Mindat Locality ID:
4297
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:4297:3
GUID (UUID V4):
0
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Snowdon Mine


A copper mine, first mentioned around 1800, by the lake of Llyn Llydaw on the slopes of Mt Snowdon. The mine was worked intermittently — if rather unsuccessfully — for over 100 years by a number of companies including the Snowdon and Dalawin Copper Mines (1847); Cwm Dyle Rock and Green Lake Copper Mining Company (1851); Cwmdyle Copper Mining Ltd (1857); Gt Snowden Copper Mining Company (1873); North Wales United Mines (1890); by perhaps the best known company, the Britannia Copper Mine Ltd (1898); and finally by the Penypass Copper Company (1915). The mine closed in 1916.

Some of the 8 levels remain, together with the remains of the Britannia mill and other buildings around the lake shore.
Further details, including a plan and section of the mine and underground black and white photos, are in Colman and Laffoley (1986).

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.


Mineral List


15 valid minerals. 1 (TL) - type locality of valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Brochantite
Formula: Cu4(SO4)(OH)6
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Chalcoalumite
Formula: CuAl4(SO4)(OH)12 · 3H2O
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ Connellite
Formula: Cu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
ⓘ Georgeite
Formula: [Cu(OH)2-x(H2O)x][CO3]x/2
Description: Sneyd’s Level
ⓘ Goethite
Formula: Fe3+O(OH)
ⓘ Gypsum
Formula: CaSO4 · 2H2O
ⓘ Lanthanite-(Ce) (TL)
Formula: Ce2(CO3)3 · 8H2O
Type Locality:
ⓘ Linarite
Formula: PbCu(SO4)(OH)2
References:
BMS Collection
ⓘ Malachite
Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
ⓘ Marcasite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Posnjakite
Formula: Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘSphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
ⓘMarcasite2.EB.10aFeS2
Group 3 - Halides
ⓘConnellite3.DA.25Cu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘGoethite4.00.Fe3+O(OH)
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
ⓘGeorgeite5.BA.10[Cu(OH)2-x(H2O)x][CO3]x/2
ⓘMalachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
ⓘLanthanite-(Ce) (TL)5.CC.25Ce2(CO3)3 · 8H2O
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘBrochantite7.BB.25Cu4(SO4)(OH)6
ⓘLinarite7.BC.65PbCu(SO4)(OH)2
ⓘGypsum7.CD.40CaSO4 · 2H2O
ⓘPosnjakite7.DD.10Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
ⓘChalcoalumite7.DD.75CuAl4(SO4)(OH)12 · 3H2O

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Hⓘ ChalcoalumiteCuAl4(SO4)(OH)12 · 3H2O
Hⓘ ConnelliteCu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
Hⓘ Georgeite[Cu(OH)2-x(H2O)x][CO3]x/2
Hⓘ GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
Hⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Hⓘ Lanthanite-(Ce)Ce2(CO3)3 · 8H2O
Hⓘ LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Hⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Hⓘ PosnjakiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
CCarbon
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Cⓘ Georgeite[Cu(OH)2-x(H2O)x][CO3]x/2
Cⓘ Lanthanite-(Ce)Ce2(CO3)3 · 8H2O
Cⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ ChalcoalumiteCuAl4(SO4)(OH)12 · 3H2O
Oⓘ ConnelliteCu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
Oⓘ Georgeite[Cu(OH)2-x(H2O)x][CO3]x/2
Oⓘ GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
Oⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Oⓘ Lanthanite-(Ce)Ce2(CO3)3 · 8H2O
Oⓘ LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Oⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Oⓘ PosnjakiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
AlAluminium
Alⓘ ChalcoalumiteCuAl4(SO4)(OH)12 · 3H2O
SSulfur
Sⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ ChalcoalumiteCuAl4(SO4)(OH)12 · 3H2O
Sⓘ ConnelliteCu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
Sⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Sⓘ LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Sⓘ MarcasiteFeS2
Sⓘ PosnjakiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
Sⓘ SphaleriteZnS
ClChlorine
Clⓘ ConnelliteCu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
CaCalcium
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Caⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
FeIron
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
Feⓘ MarcasiteFeS2
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
CuCopper
Cuⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuⓘ ChalcoalumiteCuAl4(SO4)(OH)12 · 3H2O
Cuⓘ ConnelliteCu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
Cuⓘ Georgeite[Cu(OH)2-x(H2O)x][CO3]x/2
Cuⓘ LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Cuⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Cuⓘ PosnjakiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
ZnZinc
Znⓘ SphaleriteZnS
CeCerium
Ceⓘ Lanthanite-(Ce)Ce2(CO3)3 · 8H2O
PbLead
Pbⓘ LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

British and Irish IslesGroup of Islands
Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
EuropeContinent
UK

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Bevins, Richard E.; Rowbotham, George; Stephens, Frederick S.; Turgoose, Stephen; Williams, Peter A. (1985) Lanthanite-(Ce), (Ce,La,Nd)2(CO3)3·8H2O, a new mineral from Wales, U.K. American Mineralogist, 70 (3-4). 411-413
Reedman, A. J., Colman, T. B., Campbell, S. D. G., Howells, M. F. (1985) Volcanogenic mineralization related to the Snowdon Volcanic Group (Ordovician), Gwynedd, North Wales. Journal of the Geological Society, 142 (5) 875-888 doi:10.1144/gsjgs.142.5.0875
Colman, T.B., Laffoley, N. d'A. (1986) Brittania or Snowdon Mine. Bulletin of the Peak District Mines Historical Society: 9(5): 313-331. https://pdmhs.co.uk/MiningHistory/Bulletin%209-5%20-%20Brittania%20or%20Snowdon%20Mine.pdf
Pollard, A. M., Thomas, R. G., Williams, P. A., Just, J., Bridge, P. J. (1991) The synthesis and composition of georgeite and its reactions to form other secondary copper(II) carbonates. Mineralogical Magazine, 55 (379) 163-166 doi:10.1180/minmag.1991.055.379.03
Bick, David (2003) The Old Copper Mines of Snowdonia. 3rd Edition, 160 pages.
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