Whitespots ASSI

Protected area type: Areas of Special Scientific Interest
Feature type: 
  • Earth Science
County: 
  • Down
Council: Ards and North Down
Guidance and literature: Whitespots ASSI

Whitespots is of geological interest on account of its mineralogy, including a range of commercially mined metallic ores.

Minerals were deposited within a fault in the Silurian country rocks by hot, mineral-rich fluids. Minerals including galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, baryte, dolomite, calcite and chalcedony are present.

This site is the only occurrence in Northern Ireland of the unusual barium zeolite, harmotone. 

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