Greenlaws Mine, Daddry Shield, Weardale, Durham.

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Greenlaws mine was first worked for lead along the Greenlaws West and East Veins, later on when the mine was developing two major cross veins were also discovered; the Swinhope Cross Vein and the Westernhope Cross Vein. Records show that the mine was being worked in 1725 around the Greenlaws Hush and it was worked on an off until the Beaumont Company took over in 1818. The Beaumont's stopped operations in 1893 and in 1894 the Weardale Lead Company took over operations until 1907.

The West Vein was probably worked first and was exploited by hushing and by shallow surface shafts. The vein was weak and only small ore shoots were extracted in the Great Limestone and Slaty Hazle. The main levels on the West Vein workings are Birksike Level, a crosscut in the shale, Dent's Level in the Great Limestone, and Dent's Low Level driven below the Slaty Hazle.

The East Vein was by far the richer of the two veins and yielded ore from the Little Limestone to the Tynebottom Limestone. The East Vein was exploited by a number of levels, the highest being the Firestone Level. Below this was Jackson's or Watt's Level, which accessed the Great Limestone, next was the Middle Level driven below the Four Fathom Limestone, and finally on the lowest horizon was the Quarry Level at the base of the Slaty Hazle. In the 1940's an attempt was made to open the Quarry Level and to work it for fluorspar, but this was an unsuccessful endeavour.

Apart from the galena that the mine was primarily worked for, other minerals included aragonite, calcite, amber and purple fluorite, quartz, siderite, and sphalerite.

All of the Greenlaws mine complex is on private land and permission must be obtained for exploration. Please do not trespass as this will aggravate the landowners and jeopardise future access.

	Greenlaws Firestone Level Dig Diary. Updated 30/07/14.		Middle Level Explore of the Middle Level, does not go far, but very interesting. Karli, Mike and Pete, 4th October 2009.
	Firestone Level The first view into the level after a very long time. (Greenlaws Team, Karli, Mike and Pete), 4th October 2009.		Greenlaws Mill Surface features around the Greenlaws Mill. Karli, Mike and Pete, 4th October 2009.
	Dents Low Level - A quick look into this level. (Helen, Karli, Mike and Pete), 18th September 2010.		Quarry Level - A chance to see Helen's dig and the findings so far in Quarry Level. (Helen, Karli, Mike and Pete), 18th September 2010.
	Firestone Dig Update - The first working is accessed - Cubes Galore! (Greenlaws Team, Karli and Mike), 12th January 2014.		Firestone Dig Update - The continuation of the first flats is found on the opposite wall in the shaft - Cavities Full of Cubes! (Karli, Mike and Sal), 27th July 2014.
	Firestone Dig Update - 8 years since our last visit - Very busy boys (Karli and Mike), 6th August 2022.