The history of fluorspar mining in the Northern Pennines has received relatively little attention from historians; Swiss Aluminium UK Ltd’s part in this is usually dismissed in a few lines. Yet despite their short presence, the company carried out one of the most intensive and influential mining campaigns there. In 1981, the author worked at their Cambokeels Mine and visited others in the group while on a student placement from the Royal School of Mines. This monograph is based on reports that he made at that time and describes in detail the geology of the area, the equipment used and the methods of stoping to extract fluorspar. There is a detailed description and flowsheet of the company’s processing plant at Broadwood Quarry near Frosterley, together with a digest of the principal events of the fluorspar industry in the UK at the end of the 20th century.

A particular feature is the inclusion of many hitherto unpublished contemporary photographs from private collections, with geological drawings and mine sections as well as diagrams showing the various stages in extracting the ore.

The book contains 96 pages with 111 illustrations and a comprehensive index.