Is Blue John stone valuable?
In our ceaseless quest for the finest materials we have been working with the rarest mineral in Britain – Blue John. This semi-precious stone is only found in in the depths of two caves near in Castleton, Derbyshire, first hollowed out by the Romans two thousand years ago.
How hard is Blue John?
Blue John is a soft stone at only 4 on the Mohs scale.
How much does it cost to get into Blue John Cavern?
| Adults £15.00 | Children £10.00 |
|---|---|
| Senior Citizens £11.00 | Students £11.00 |
| Family Ticket (Two adults and two children aged 5 to 15) £45.00 |
Can I Mine Blue John?
Regular mining of Blue John has been carried out in the cavern since the 18th century. Technology has improved with time but great skill is still needed to obtain the mineral… Treak Cliff Cavern is still very much a working mine, with half a tonne of Blue John stone being mined each year.
Who owns the Blue John Mines?
the Harrison family
Since 1945, the cavern has been in the guardianship of the Harrison family, and small amounts of Blue John have been mined out from ‘off the beaten track’ since that time.
What is the best Blue John?
Best Blue John Cavern – Treak Cliff Cavern
- Europe.
- Peak District National Park.
- Hope Valley.
- Castleton.
- Castleton – Things to Do.
- Treak Cliff Cavern.
What does Blue John Milk mean?
Life Is Simple: Blue john milk is what’s left after you skim off the cream. It could be carefully skimmed off and used for homemade butter or for cooking. The liquid that was left was the equivalent of today’s version of skim milk: a no-fat, pale-looking white liquid that might even have a bluish tint to it.
Why is Blue John called Blue John?
The origin of the name ‘Blue John’ is thought to have come from the French ‘bleu et jaune’, meaning ‘blue and yellow’. Another theory is that the name ‘Blue john’ was termed by 18th century miners to separate the blue / purple stone from Zinc Sulphites, known locally as ‘black jack’.
Is Blue John a gemstone?
What is Blue John? Blue John is now a very rare and mysterious gemstone mined around the Peak District village of Castleton, Derbyshire. The Blue John mines were first discovered around 1750 in Treak Cliff, just outside Castleton, Blue John very quickly became popular for use as a decorative ornament.
Is Blue John still mined?
Blue John Stone is now only mined in two caverns: Treak Cliff Cavern and Blue John Cavern. This mineral, a colour banded form of fluorspar, is so beautiful that it has been prized for many hundreds of years.
How deep are the Blue John Mines?
This cave descends for 214 feet, but the effort of reclimbing this distance back to the surface is relieved by the beauty of the caverns which are passed on the way.
What is a Blue John stone?
Blue John (also known as Derbyshire Spar) is a semi-precious mineral, a rare form of fluorite with bands of a purple-blue or yellowish colour. In the UK it is found only at Blue John Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern at Castleton in Derbyshire.
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