Open-Pit Mining: Penrhyn Slate Quarry - Video and Maps

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A slate quarry in Ogwen bank (Wales) near Bethesda - Video


Video Description
A slate quarry in Ogwen bank (Wales) near Bethesda. Source: YouTube.com

Penrhyn Slate Quarry
The Penrhyn Slate Quarry is a slate quarry located near Bethesda in north Wales. It is reputed to be the world's largest slate quarry: the main pit is nearly a mile long and 1200 feet deep.

The quarry was first developed in 1770 by Richard Pennant, later Baron Penrhyn although it is likely that small-scale slate extraction on the site began considerably earlier. Slates from the quarry were transported to the sea at Port Penrhyn on the narrow gauge Penrhyn Quarry Railway built in 1798, one of the earliest railway lines.

The quarry still produces slate though at a much reduced capacity from its heyday at the end of the 1800s. From 1964 until 2007 it was owned and operated by Alfred McAlpine PLC. In 2007 it was acquired by Rigcycle Limited. Source: Wikipedia, Penrhyn Quarry.

Open Pit Mining
Open-pit mining, also known as open-cast mining, open-cut mining, and strip mining, refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow. Source: Wikipedia: Open pit mining.

Interactive Satellite Map
Explore the Penrhyn Slate Quarry pit, Bethesda, Wales. Click a placemark. To Pan: click and drag or take advantage of the pan and zoom bars.
  


 

 


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