Laxey Mine

The Great Laxey Mine
The Washing Floor of the Great Laxey Mine
Location
Great Laxey Mine
Location in Isle of Man
LocationLaxey, Isle of Man
CountryIsle of Man, British Isles
Coordinates54°14′23.8″N 004°24′22.6″W / 54.239944°N 4.406278°W / 54.239944; -4.406278
Production
ProductsZinc, lead, silver, copper
History
Openedc.1782
Closed1929
Owner
CompanyThe Great Laxey Mining Company Limited
Websitehttps://www.manxmines.com/LAXEY%20MINE.htm

The Great Laxey Mine was a silver, lead ore and zinc mine in Laxey, in the parish of Lonan, Isle of Man. The mine exceeded a depth of 2,200 ft (670 m) and consisted primarily of three shafts: the Welsh Shaft, the Dumbell's Shaft and the Engine Shaft; each of these shafts was connected by a series of levels.

The mine holds the world record for the largest sulphide crystal (measured by both volume and mass), being a sample of galena (PbS) weighing 118kg. This sample is on permanent display in the geology galley of the Natural History Museum, London. The specimen is composite cubo-octahedra, measuring 25 x 25 x 25cm.