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Gwynfynydd Mine, Ganllwyd, Gwynedd, Wales, UKi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Gwynfynydd Mine | Mine (Abandoned) |
| Ganllwyd | Community |
| Gwynedd | County |
| Wales | Country |
| UK | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
52° 50' 13'' North , 3° 52' 30'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
UK National Grid Reference:
SH737283
Type:
Mine (Abandoned) - last checked 2020
Kรถppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Trawsfynydd | 628 (2017) | 7.9km |
| Dolgellau | 2,688 (2017) | 10.6km |
| Llan Ffestiniog | 864 (2017) | 13.9km |
| Dyffryn Ardudwy | 1,654 (2012) | 14.3km |
| Llanbedr | 385 (2017) | 15.3km |
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Gwynfynydd Gold Mine; Merionethshire; Gwyn Mine; Morgan Mine; Mount Morgan Mine; British Gold Fields
Second to Clogau in terms of gold output, Gwynfynedd ranked with Clogau and Glasdir, the latter primarily a copper mine, as one of the largest and richest mines in the Dolgellau gold belt.
The remains of the Gwynfynedd mill are at OS grid ref. SH 735274.
The earthwork remains of the gold mine at Gwynfynydd include shafts, levels, open cuts and stopes. There are also remains of the associated transport network including tramways and inclines. Surviving buildings include the winding houses and other associated buildings and structures.
Up to 20 parallel lodes in five main groups have been recognised: the Chidlaw, Collett, James, Harvey and Big lodes. The greatest thickness attained in a single vein being 20 feet in the Chidlaw lode. All strike nearly east-west and have been traced for up to a mile and a half.
Although the Gwyn tribute lease appears in the mineral statistics for 1911-12, it was characterised by low employment and low yields from a substantial tonnage of ore; it has been suggested that this was the bulk of the output of Prince Edward Mine after selected ore had been processed at Prince Edward.
Total returned production between 1862 and 1916 was 98,842 tons of gold ore yielding 40,054 ounces of gold (about half of that produced by Clogau). After the main phase of mining ended, the mine operated intermittently and on a much smaller scale until almost the present day. In recent times both the Clogau and Gwynfynydd mines have been exploited by companies taking advantage of the high premium payable for Welsh gold in the jewelry market.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
15 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
| โ Acanthite ? Formula: Ag2S Description: The National Museum of Wales database "The Minerology of Wales" (http://www.nmgw.ac.uk/en/791/)has raised doubts regarding the identifications of acanthite and sylvanite at this location. |
| โ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 References: |
| โ Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 |
| โ Galena Formula: PbS |
| โ Goethite Formula: Fe3+O(OH) |
| โ Halotrichite Formula: FeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| โ Marcasite Formula: FeS2 |
| โ Native Gold Formula: Au References: |
| โ Native Gold var. Electrum Formula: (Au,Ag) References: |
| โ Pickeringite Formula: MgAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| โ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 |
| โ Pyrrhotite Formula: Fe1-xS |
| โ Quartz Formula: SiO2 References: Dr. Gรผnter Grundmann collectionIdentified by Dr. Günter Grundmann: Polarised-light microscopy |
| โ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS |
| โ Sylvanite ? Formula: AgAuTe4 Description: The National Museum of Wales database "The Minerology of Wales" (http://www.nmgw.ac.uk/en/791/)has raised doubts regarding the identifications of acanthite and sylvanite at this location. |
| โ Tellurobismuthite Formula: Bi2Te3 References: Dr. Gรผnter Grundmann collectionIdentified by Dr. Günter Grundmann: Polarised-light microscopy |
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| โ | Native Gold var. Electrum | 1.AA.05 | (Au,Ag) |
| โ | 1.AA.05 | Au | |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| โ | Acanthite ? | 2.BA.35 | Ag2S |
| โ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| โ | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| โ | Pyrrhotite | 2.CC.10 | Fe1-xS |
| โ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| โ | Tellurobismuthite | 2.DC.05 | Bi2Te3 |
| โ | Sylvanite ? | 2.EA.05 | AgAuTe4 |
| โ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| โ | Marcasite | 2.EB.10a | FeS2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| โ | Goethite | 4.00. | Fe3+O(OH) |
| โ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| โ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| โ | Halotrichite | 7.CB.85 | FeAl2(SO4)4 ยท 22H2O |
| โ | Pickeringite | 7.CB.85 | MgAl2(SO4)4 ยท 22H2O |
List of minerals for each chemical element
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
British and Irish IslesGroup of Islands
Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
- AvaloniaVolcanic Arc
EuropeContinent
UK
- Wales
- Cambrian MountainsMountain Range
- Gwynedd
- Snowdonia National ParkNational Park
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Gwynfynydd Mine, Ganllwyd, Gwynedd, Wales, UK