]> 2026-04-14T07:29:05+00:00 Case study:Barney Beck: Abandoned Metal Mines 500 en Approved Environment Agency The Coal Authority (UK) Great Britain No No Yes false No 54.386476,-1.974797 Hugh Environment Agency Potter Catchment Characterisation Programme to investigate water pollution from abandoned metal mines and determine remediation options of metal pollution ,, ,Catchment Characterisation Programme to investigate water pollution from abandoned metal mines and determine remediation options of metal pollution,Developing partnerships with stakeholders, deliver shared environmental outcomes,Sampling to investigate metal pollution, Improving water quality, An ecological monitoring programme was also undertaken to complement the water quality study and investigate the effects of metal pollution on macrophytes, invertebrates and diatoms. The ecological surveys were carried out in 3 seasonal sampling events over 2 years. Preliminary results show little adverse effects on invertebrates and macrophytes, but distortion of diatom valves in some species. 13347 The Coal Authority (UK), Barney Beck with steep spoil tips at Old Gang Barney Beck.jpg In progress Barney Beck, in the Humber River Basin District, is located to the west of Richmond, North Yorkshire in upper Swaledale.The area was mined for lead, zinc and barium between 1700 and 1900. Cadmium occurs as a significant impurity in the lead-zinc minerals. The mineralisation occurs along vertical faults in the Carboniferous Limestone and Millstone Grit rocks at Barney Beck and adjoining areas of Swaledale in Yorkshire, and forms part of the North Pennine Orefield. There is an extensive legacy of metal mining at Barney Beck including many shafts, adits and drainage levels with several smelters and associated ore dressing floors. There are large areas of un-vegetated spoil and bare rock exposed in deep hushes. Some spoil tips, such as at Old Gang Smelt Mill, have steep unstable slopes that are being constantly eroded at the base by Barney Beck. Barney Beck catchment (17sq.km) is entirely within the Yorkshire Dales National Park and almost all of the catchment is co-designated as SSSI, SAC and SPA with some scheduled Ancient Woodland in the valley bottom above Healaugh village. All of the mine site buildings are derelict, but there are 2 Scheduled Ancient Monuments comprising the Old Gang Smelt Mill and Surrender Smelt Mill complexes. Barras End Lead Mine is listed on the MINING WASTE DIRECTIVE INVENTORY. There are 13 adits/levels identified in the catchment, and 2 of these, Hard Level and Spence Level, were purposely constructed as drainage levels and still have permanent discharge flows, with water containing high concentrations of lead, zinc and cadmium entering Barney Beck. A number of single sampling events to investigate metal pollution of Barney Beck and to establish the Mining Waste Directive inventory were carried out by the Environment Agency and Hull University in 2010 and 2011. These studies all showed concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cd above their respective EQS values of 7.2, 50, and 0.09ug/L (Zn and Cd are hardness based), while Cu, Fe and Mn concentrations were acceptable. Based on the above findings, a catchment characterisation programme was implemented in 2012-2013 using Defra funding, provided to investigate water pollution from abandoned metal mines. This project comprised monthly water quality sampling at 9 locations with simultaneous spot flow gauging at 6 locations including the Hard Level and Spence Level discharges. The water quality results showed that the discharge from Hard Level contained the highest metal concentrations, with Pb at 130ug/L; Zn at 530ug/L and Cd at 4ug/L Metal loading was calculated from the concentration and flow data. When metal loadings were examined under different flow conditions, the contribution from the point source adit discharges were more significant during low flows, but less so in high flow conditions, when diffuse sources from spoil tips and re-suspension of contaminated sediments become more significant in the overall metal loading to Barney Beck and entering the River Swale. The Environment Agency has collaborated with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and funded a heritage survey report, to look at options for remediation and reduction of metal pollution of Barney Beck that do not adversely affect the integrity of the Scheduled Ancient Monuments. Overview of the impact of metal mining at Barney Beck: Length of watercourse affected 7km to confluence with River Swale Average flow at the Swale confluence 110L/s Average metal concentrations (ug/L): Pb = 80 Zn = 130 Cd = 1.1 Average metal loading (kg/year): Pb = 500 Zn = 700 Cd = 6 Water body WFD status in 2009: Ecology = Good Chemistry = DNRA Benefits of remediation The River Swale will be protected from major metal pollution sources Scheduled Ancient Monuments will not be damaged by any remedial actions Developing partnerships with important stakeholders (YDNPA and Coal Authority) and using our position as an influential advisor to deliver shared environmental outcomes Contribute towards achieving Good Ecological and Chemical Status under WFD Barney Beck: Abandoned Metal Mines barney beck: abandoned metal mines No 7000 Swale, Ure, Nidd and Upper Ouse Humber Barney Bk/Hard Level Gill from Source to R Swale barney bk/hard level gill from source to r swale Developing partnerships with stakeholders deliver shared environmental outcomes 10 - 100 km² 589 500 - 1000 m Barney Bk/Hard Level Gill from Source to R Swale GB104027069080 Environmental flows and water resources Habitat and biodiversity Monitoring Water quality GB104027069080 Barney Bk/Hard Level Gill from Source to R Swale Sampling to investigate metal pollution Improving water quality 2014-07-14T10:57:57Z 2456852.9569097 2017-05-24T10:14:45Z 2457897.9269097 Barney Beck: Abandoned Metal Mines 500 1 plainlist 5 [[Category:Case study]] [[Project title::!Barney Beck: Abandoned Metal Mines]] [[Subcatchment title::Barney Bk/Hard Level Gill from Source to R Swale]] Barney Beck: Abandoned Metal Mines# QUERY800f133f4bcbe857ea534f2d7f01af19 500 [2,"smw-datavalue-time-invalid-date-components-sequence","2012\/13"] Barney Beck: Abandoned Metal Mines# ERR1e4eaf162876da2f83351296d87a468e