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Summary Full report
Derrynoose - MineralogyArmagh
Site number:556
ESCC:ID
Locality Type:Spoil Status: local interest
Grid Reference: H796315 Approximate
Google maps: 54.22669,-6.77949
County: ArmaghCouncil area:Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council
Site Description
image: 0556a.jpg Derrynoose lead mine, Co.Armagh, June 1997.
Derrynoose lead mine, Co.Armagh, June 1997.
Highlights:
Former lead mine with spoil containing galena and sphalerite.
Introduction:
This site lies immediately adjacent to the main road c.0.5km WSW of Derrynoose village, and has been cleared since a visit by John Morris in 1984. Little evidence remains of former mining activity (no shafts etc.), however samples of mineralized spoil can be found.
Description:
image: 0556b.jpg Derrynoose lead mine, Co.Armagh, June 1997: disused concrete ball court.
Derrynoose lead mine, Co.Armagh, June 1997: disused concrete ball court.
A grassed-over, flat-topped ridge extends c.120m from the road (at the site of a former Hall - recently demolished, now a lay-by) to the site of a disused concrete ball court. This ridge, which is some 10-20m wide and rising 1-2m above surrounding land surface, appears to be the grassed-over spoil from the former mine (estimated at 4,500 tonnes: Morris, 1984). A few cobbles of mineralized spoil were found on both sides of the road near the former Hall.
image: 0556c.jpg Derrynoose lead mine, Co.Armagh, June 1997: mineralized spoil.
Derrynoose lead mine, Co.Armagh, June 1997: mineralized spoil.
These comprise sugary-textured vein quartz containing ferroan sphalerite and galena both as disseminations and as coarsely crystalline aggregates in a sugary quartz veinrock (samples collected for the Ulster Museum). Mineralized spoil also forms the ground surface near the ball court. No evidence of mineralized material was found at a separate western spoil heap described by Morris.
Conclusions:
The site may be worth designation on the basis that this is the only accessible occurrence of Pb-Zn-mineralized spoil in Co. Armagh.
Notes:
Recent press releases (August 2001) by Conroy Diamonds and Gold plc refer to gold mineralisation having been found by core-drilling at Derrynoose. It is not clear if the drilling location is close to the former lead mine site.



See also SLNCI Key Site 723 - Derrynoose.
Keywords
Minerals:Galena, Sphalerite
Structures:hydrothermal vein
Measurements
Length:120mWidth:10-20mHeight:1-2m
Depth:Area:  
Access
Management:
This site is easily accessible, but contains very little evidence of former mining activity. Specimen material is good, but very limited in quantity unless the spoil heaps are 're-activated' by some excavation for this purpose. Recommendation: arrange access into field and possibly excavate part of the spoil ridge to permit collecting.
Uses
Uses:Agriculture
Record type: ESCR report Recorded by: R. Nawaz and N.R. Moles
Entered by: E M Porter
Last updated:07 MAY 68
 Enlander, I., Dempster, M. & Doughty, P., 2026. Derrynoose - Mineralogy, County Armagh, site details. [In] Earth Science Conservation Review.
https://www.habitas.org.uk/escr/site.php?item=556. Accessed on 2026-11-06.

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