Isle of Skye - Mineral Localities

There are numerous mineral locations with zeolite occurences in the northern part of the Isle of Skye. Some of the major and most well-known are highlighted on other pages. There are however others not mentioned. Several of these render small specimens and/ or micro material.

Additionally, some new locations have been explored in recent times and some of these have yielded interesting material for the collector. No doubt others, great or small, may await discovery.

One site recently explored has been Lorgill/ Loregill, on the NW coast of Skye, just a few miles south of Moonen Bay.

This isolated area is typical of some of the island's locations that bear checking out from the collecting viewpoint.

LOREGILL, Isle of Skye.

View of the cliffs at Loregill. This area occupies a chapter in one of the tragic historical events of Scottish history -
the Highland Clearances.

Ollisdal Geo

Ollisdal Geo is located between Moonen Bay and Idrigill Point, and south of Loregill, (OS Map Ref. - NG 212 387).
Here, just to the south-east at Biod a'Mhurain, some of the best calcite to be found on the island was recovered.

Specimens obtained recently were characteristically off-white, rhombic crystals to a few centimetres.
These rested on a crystallized crust of smaller crystals. As with most Skye mineral locations, this site is difficult to access.

A view of the coast at Ollisdal Geo.

Waterfall over the cliff on the shore
at Sgurr nam Fiadh.

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.
Recent collecting trips have yielded interesting minerals not normally associated with the island.

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.
More typical for Skye, fine calcite and stilbite specimens have also been recovered.