Mineral exploration in the Ravenstonedale area, Cumbria

Soil and stream sediment samples collected from fault zone and the already well-known (and to an area of Lower Carboniferous rocks close to the some extent exploited) mineralisation adjacent to Silurian unconformity were analysed for copper, this feature encouraged the investigation. lead and zinc. Four areas of anomalous soils were The published descriptions of the geology of recognised, at Stennerskeugh Clouds, Birkett the area indicate that the Carboniferous rocks were Common, Crosby Garrett Fell and Windy Hill. deposited in an embayment bounded by the VLF-EM and IP surveys at Stennerskeugh Clouds Askrigg Block to the south-west and the Alston and Crosby Garrett Fell showed anomalies which Block to the north-east (Dakyns and others, 1891; were attributed to the presence of shale bands in Garwood, 1913; Taylor, 1971). the Carboniferous succession. Geophysical surveys The shallow marine environment in which at Birkett Common, described in an earlier report, some of these sediments were deposited may have suggested the presence of small mineralised resulted in the formation of lithological types structures, but the geochemical and geophysical suitable as host rocks for mineralisation (sandstone/ results do not indicate the presence of mineralisa- conglomerates, bands of organic derived debris tion of economic significance in the area. No etc.), offering further grounds for comparison with follow-up investigations can be recommended some of the mineralisation of the Irish Carbonon the basis of the results of the survey.