Print

MHG24889 - Lower Sanachan Copper Mine

Summary

Horizontal mine shaft at Kishorn, used briefly at the beginning of the 20th century.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

This mine is located lower down the valley than Upper Sanachan Mine. The tunnel is approximately 2m in diameter and extends into the mine about 50ft before turning a corner for another 50ft and terminates in a dead end.
Information supplied by P Swan, 2003. <1>

Further information received from Paul Swan in 2011. The mine shaft at Lower Sanachan was excavated in the search for copper. It seems to have begun around 1903, and from 1904 to March 1906 was being run by a Liverpool company. The costs for labour & materials in 1904 alone being £787-15s-3d. After March 1906, Mrs Stuart, the landowner, employed a Mr. Jackson, Mr. Myres and a Lochcarron man to continue the search under the watchful eye of her factor, Mr. John Maclennan. This seems to have carried on for sometime as various references are made in letters from the factor, for example in February 1907 he wrote “The copper mine is quite as far advanced as it was four years ago. Mrs. Stuart, who is well, has three local hands blasting away. She was in a great state of excitement the time of the big snow storm, the tunnel got frozen up as hard as iron and was afraid the snow would never melt again”.
However, eventually, with the main lode not found and money exhausted the shaft was abandoned. <2>

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 8383 4044 (40m by 40m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG84SW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	LOCHBROOM

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (0)

External Links (0)