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MHG33078 - Tornapress Iron Mine

Summary

Haematite mine, in use early in the 20th century.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

This mine is situated at the bottom of a gorge. The remains of a winching system is supposed to remain at the rim of the gorge, but it has not yet been found.
Information supplied by P Swan, 2003 <1>

The Haematite ore is deposited in a series of veins & strings. The 1913 “List of mines” gives the owner as the Kishorn Iron Ore Co., the secretary as William Clark & the chief agent as William Hogg. The mineshaft was driven into the side of the Allt Mor Gorge above Tornapress & with six men working underground several hundred tons of ore was brought up. It was left in a pile by the burn at the bottom of the gorge prior to being winched up out of the gorge with a pulley & bucket system lowered down from the rim. From here a horse & cart would have taken it away. Unfortunately, however, on one occasion the entire pile was washed away by a flash flood before it could be uplifted!
As a result of this misfortune, the irregular nature of the veins & the outbreak of WW1, mining ceased in 1914 and never resumed. <2>

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 8410 4220 (40m by 40m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG84SW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	LOCHBROOM

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