Ratcliffe Wood, Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, UKi

Regional Level Types
Ratcliffe Wood	- not defined -
Macclesfield	Civil Parish
Cheshire	County
England	Constituent Country
UK	Country

NOTE: References to evansite occuring at "Yoredale Rocks" near Macclesfield (e.g. Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 923) are wrong. This error has been subsequently perpetuated elsewhere, e.g. Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W. and Nichols, M.C. Handbook of Mineraiogy, Volume 4, Arsenates, Phosphates, Vanadates (and also in MINDAT prior to this correction).

The Yoredale Rock is in fact a type of limestone (a local phase of the lower Carboniferous rocks of the north of England) and is not a specific locality (as suggested in these publications). The correct locality is from an exposure of the Yoredale Rock at Ratcliffe [Ratcliffe] Wood near Macclesfield (see extract below)

Notes on the Occurrence of Evansite in East Cheshire. By ARTHUR SMITH WOODWARD. Communicated by T. DAVIES, F.G.S. [Read October 23rd, 1883.] Published in Mineral Magazine no. 5.

"Up to the present time, this comparatively new species [evansite]does not appear to have been recorded as occurring in the British Isles, and the specimens exhibited are, perhaps, of unusual interest on that account. They are from a small fissure in the Yoredale Rocks, at Ratcliffe Wood, near Macclesfield, and though no very fine examples have yet been secured, a study of the present ones, together with other carefully collected fragments, is quite sufficient to leave no doubt as to the correctness of the identification here made. Dr. Burghardt, of the Victoria University, and Mr. Thomas Davies, of the British Museum, have both examined the specimens, and it is chiefly due to their kind suggestions and assistance that it is now possible to add the name of this interesting mineral to the British lists."

I first found the Evansite, at the locality named, on March 25th, 1882, and have, so far, only seen it in one small section. The proprietor of the quarries, however, states that he has several times observed similar incrustations in the cracks by which the rock is everywhere traversed, but, not knowing the nature of the glassy mineral, has not preserved any specimens : during the last twelve months none of the phosphate has been met with, but this fact is scarcely any guarantee of its extreme rarity, for it seems to occur only in the commercially-unprofitable shaly beds, and whenever possible these are avoided in the quarrying operations.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References