The first British occurrence of khaidarkanite from Great Sled Dale, Angram Common, Keld, Swaledale, North Yorkshire, UK

Abstract

The rare cyanotrichite group mineral khaidarkanite is reported here for the first time in the British Isles, derived from highly oxidized, copper-bearing, fluorite-rich veinstone at remote trial workings at Great Sled Dale, Swaledale, North Yorkshire. The khaidarkanite is undoubtedly of supergene origin and appears to have formed in preference to the more common cyanotrichite due to the presence of primary fluorite, which provided the necessary fluorine ions during oxidation of the veinstone.