Backways Cove, Trebarwith, Tintagel, Cornwall, England, UKi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Backways Cove | Cove |
| Trebarwith | Hamlet |
| Tintagel | Civil Parish |
| Cornwall | County |
| England | Constituent Country |
| UK | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
50° 38' 21'' North , 4° 45' 59'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
UK National Grid Reference:
SX044859
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| British Micromount Society, Devon and Cornwall Branch Meetings | Liskeard, Cornwall | 29km |
Backways Cove is formed at the mouth of a hanging valley cut by an unnamed stream. Access to the beach is via the stream bed. Care is required due to poor footing.
The surrounding rocks are composed of slates which exhibit localised rhombohedral jointing, and are penetrated by large bodies of massive quartz. Small areas of slate may display a phyllitic or schistose texture.
The stream bed contains occasional pieces washed down from the Tintagel Volcanic series which contact the slates upstream.
Quarrying activities have taken place, at different times, in the slates of the adjacent hillsides.
Two artificial caves have been cut into the cliff bases which once served as quays for loading and unloading boats by winch - part of the southern winch-house and lading route cut into the cliff face are still visible.
A large, rectangular trench cut into the valley floor immediately above the cliff was a building forming a part of the nearby wartime airbase.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Andalusite Formula: Al2(SiO4)O Habit: Acicular Colour: Blackish Description: Ranging in frequency from an occasional crystal to a significant component, andalusite needles may be found in the harder, more deformed slates.
The mineral is most frequently seen as minute (1-3mm length), blackish needles laying in random orientation parallel to the cleavage of the slate. References: |
| ⓘ Arsenopyrite Formula: FeAsS Habit: Massive; intergrown masses of large, anhedral crystals. Occasional crystal faces in rock voids. Colour: Silver-grey Description: Massive, macrocrystalline arsenopyrite is a frequent accompaniment to massive pyrite and quartz in both the cliff walls and rocks on the beach. References: |
| ⓘ Cerussite Formula: PbCO3 |
| ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS |
| ⓘ Phosgenite Formula: Pb2CO3Cl2 |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 Habit: Massive; intergrown masses of small crystals to about 5mm. Occasional hemihedral, dodecahedral and pyritiohedral crystals in rock voids. Colour: Brassy, also bronzy tarnish. Description: Massive, intergrown masses associated with massive arsenopyrite and quartz in both the cliff walls and rocks on the beach. References: |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 Habit: Massive, intergrown; occasional prismatic crystals Colour: White to pale yellow, milky to transparent Description: Massive pods and veins of quartz form a major part of the cliffs and represent a large proportion of the beach material, frequently associated with massive arsenopyrite and pyrite.
Occasional voids support small (to 15mm length), prismatic crystals of clear quartz, occasionally tending toward citrine. References: |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| ⓘ | Arsenopyrite | 2.EB.20 | FeAsS |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Cerussite | 5.AB.15 | PbCO3 |
| ⓘ | Phosgenite | 5.BE.20 | Pb2CO3Cl2 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Andalusite | 9.AF.10 | Al2(SiO4)O |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| C | Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| C | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
| C | ⓘ Phosgenite | Pb2CO3Cl2 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Andalusite | Al2(SiO4)O |
| O | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Phosgenite | Pb2CO3Cl2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Andalusite | Al2(SiO4)O |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Andalusite | Al2(SiO4)O |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘ Phosgenite | Pb2CO3Cl2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| As | Arsenic | |
| As | ⓘ Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
| Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| Pb | ⓘ Phosgenite | Pb2CO3Cl2 |
Geochronology
| Geologic Time | Rocks, Minerals and Events | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phanerozoic | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paleozoic | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Permian | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Guadalupian |
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| Cisuralian |
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
British and Irish IslesGroup of Islands
Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
- Rheno-Hercynian BeltOrogenic Belt
UK
- England
- Cornwall
- Wadebridge Mining DistrictMining District
- Devon and Cornwall metalliferous mining districtMining District
- Cornwall
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