Greenside Mines, Glenridding

In the North East Lakes for the weekend and a wander up Raise. This is looking down on the scene of early lead mining operations which became known Greenside Mine. Mining began around 1690 where the galena vein was exposed at the surface. In 1822 the Greenside Mining Company was formed and more industrious excavation began. The mining activities proved very successful and several phases of new expansion was commissioned between the mid 1830’s and 1850.  A great deal of the mine’s success at this time was due to the high silver content of the lead ore, most of which ended up at the Royal Mint.

But by 1919 a fall in world markets meant the mine was proving uneconomical and a year later the Greenside Mining Company went into liquidation. However, operations re-started in 1923 and continued until final closure in 1961. In total, 1.2 million tonnes of ore was extracted producing 350,000 tonnes of lead and 35,000 kg of silver.