Large lead and barytes mining site, with opencast workings, horizontal levels and hushes to explore on the dramatic North Pennine Escarpment. Silverband Mine was located on Great Dun Fell, about 3 miles north-east of the village of Milburn. There had been lead mining in the area since the 14th century and in the 19th century the London Lead Company worked the Mine for galena. In the early 20th century, production was shifted to mining barytes and in 1939 the La Porte Chemical Company took over the Mine and drastically increaed the scale of production. A 1.75km long aerial ropeway was constructed to transport the ore down the steep slopes of the fell, the remains of which are now a scheduled monument. Between 1939 and 1963 Siverband produced 215,000 tons of dressed barytes ore. The mine closed in 1966 but was reopened in 1980s and was worked periodically, with an adjacent an ore procesing mill.
Grade Easy (though quite strenuous!)
Led by Richard Neilson richard.neilson@mail.com and Philip Newton