Minerals
of Scotland |
Mineral Collecting Localities LOREGILL - SGURR nam FIADH -
OLLISDAL GEO |
ISLE of SKYE Location Photo Galleries Sgurr nam Cearcall, Mineral Photo Galleries analcime - chabazite - cowlesite - erionite - heulandite laumontite - stilbite - mordenite - natrolite - thomsonite - stellerite apophyllite - gyrolite - offretite - levyne - mesolite calcite - Skye marble - prehnite - talc - quartz- clinohumite - zircon SITE LINKS |
Mineral collectors negotiate a hazardous coastal section at Loregill.
|
Ollisdal Geo Ollisdal Geo is located between Moonen Bay
and Idrigill Point, and south of Loregill, (OS Map Ref. -
NG 212 387). Specimens obtained recently were
characteristically off-white, rhombic crystals to a few
centimetres.
A view of the coast at Ollisdal Geo. |
Waterfall over the cliff on the shore |
Approach to Sgurr nam Fiadh. Sgurr nam Fiadh Sgurr nam Fiadh is located a few miles south of Talisker Bay near the northern mouth of Loch Eynort. The locality has yielded some of the finest, if not the best, stilbite specimens to be found on the island. Radial fibrous-crystal sprays of mesolite found at the locality in 2007 are of the best examples found in the UK for the species. However, access to the location is difficult. |
Glen Brittle - Sgurr nam Cearcall (Cuillin Hills) This area is near the southern edge of the
lavas on the island, just west of the impressive Cuillin
Hills. These have included hand specimens of
prehnite occasionally associated with native copper and
connellite. The prehnite occurs as lustrous, pale
greenish micro-crystal crusts as well as stalactitic
growths. The latter habit a result of the overgrowth and
replacement of laumontite crystals - akin to, though less
distinct, as the well-known examples from the Indian
Deccan basalts around Bombay. |
Sgurr nam Cearcall & Loch Brittle. |
The Cuillin Hills, Isle of Skye. |
All photographs courtesy of D. McCallum & M. Wood. REFERENCE: UKJMM (UK Journal of Mines & Minerals), vol. 29,p.16; Mineral News (Scotland); M.Wolfe, M. Oddy, R. Starkey. (2008). © Minerals of Scotland. |