]> 2026-04-14T13:45:36+00:00 Case study:Force Crag Mine Remediation 500 en Approved Environment Agency The Coal Authority (UK) Defra National Trust Newcastle University Great Britain No No Yes false 2014 April completed Force Crag scheme - John Malley.jpg April 2014. Completed Force Crag mine water treatment scheme. Photo by John Malley. No 54.583826828175,-3.2381772994995 HPotter Hugh Environment Agency Potter ,Vertical flow pond which uses compost, limestone and woodchips to remove metals from the water without the need for added energy or chemicals, ,,, 12827 The Coal Authority (UK), Defra, National Trust, Newcastle University April 2014. Completed Force Crag mine water treatment scheme. Photo by John Malley. 800px-2014 April completed Force Crag scheme - John Malley.jpg In progress Force Crag mine, worked for zinc, lead and barytes until 1991, was famously the last working mine in the Lake District. Mine water discharges and diffuse pollution from waste heaps mean it's a major source of cadmium, zinc and lead, depositing around 3 tonnes each year into the watercourse. The metals pollute the Coledale Beck and the Newlands Beck as far as Bassenthwaite Lake, and prevent these water bodies achieving good Chemical and Ecological status for the Water Framework Directive. The site is now owned by the National Trust and run as a visitor attraction. It's within the Lake District High Fells SAC and two SSSI’s; Force Crag mine itself and Buttermere High Fells. It is also a Scheduled Monument. We've been working in partnership with the Coal Authority, the National Trust and Newcastle University to develop a remediation scheme for this site with funding from Defra. The ‘vertical flow pond’ designed by Newcastle University is the first of its kind in the UK and uses compost, limestone and woodchips to remove metals from the water without the need for added energy or chemicals. This passive system works by passing the mine water down through the compost mixture where microbial activity binds the metals as sulphides, before discharging through a small wetland and into the Coledale Beck. In September 2013, the Coal Authority began building the treatment scheme within the existing bunding of the former tailings lagoon. The National Trust and English Heritage supported the scheme as the next stage in the life cycle of this historic industrial site. On 31 March 2014, the valves were opened and mine water started filling up the ponds... The system has now been operating for a year, and has removed over half a tonne of zinc. Although we're only treating some of the mine water flow (6 l/s), it's already making a significant difference to the water quality in the Coledale Beck since the scheme is removing >95% of the zinc, and >90% of the cadmium and lead. This is not yet enough for the river to achieve good status but we hope Bassenthwaite Lake will no longer fail the EQS for metals. Over the next couple of years we will see if the treatment system can cope with more of the flow without harming performance, and investigate how to deal with diffuse sources of metals in the catchment. The benefits of cleaning up the Force Crag mine water are estimated to be up to £4.9m over 25 years, at a cost of~£1.5m. Force Crag Mine Remediation force crag mine remediation No Derwent (NW) North West Vertical flow pond which uses compost limestone and woodchips to remove metals from the water without the need for added energy or chemicals Newlands Beck newlands beck 10 - 100 km² 840 500 - 1000 m Newlands Beck GB112075070440 Habitat and biodiversity Water quality GB112075070440 Newlands Beck 2013-09-02Z 2456537.5 2014-04-22T12:35:22Z 2456770.0245602 2017-06-06T13:24:09Z 2457911.0584375 Force Crag Mine Remediation 500 1 plainlist 5 [[Category:Case study]] [[Project title::!Force Crag Mine Remediation]] [[Subcatchment title::Newlands Beck]] Force Crag Mine Remediation# QUERYbad49abe656bc30d51eccd7c4dce8852 500 [2,"smw-datavalue-number-textnotallowed","BenefitsofcleaninguptheForceCragminewaterareestimatedtobe\u00a3","1.6"] Force Crag Mine Remediation# ERRf7fd07dec5b4c3a7b418777bdcf565a7