It's Chrysocolla.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysocollaalthough Wiki shows it as a rock, At Alderley It's formed when water percolates through the sand stone that forms the escarpment of Alderley Edge, as the water soaks downwards it leeches out the elements of Copper and a number of other minerals when it comes out into the mine workings these elements are deposited on the walls and floors and roofs od the chambers shafts and passageways. In it's wet state it's very vivid when it dries out it becomes pale and insipid. Unlike Stalactites and Stalagmites that are formed from Calcium and are very hard these deposits are quite fragile.
- Chrysocolla close up
this is the original picture
- The wall in Blue shaft
The wall from where the close up was taken
- Same but from slightly higher up
same again but from higher up.
- Looking down Blue shaft to the Hough Level
The Chrysocolla rums over the edge of the shaft and goes all the way down to the bottom. The photographs were taken from about 120 feet under ground, the shaft goes down about another 60 feet
- Higher up in the roof of the chamber
If you look closely in the middle of the picture there is a small light blue colour, that again is Chrysocolla, to get close to it you always get very wet with water dripping, I didn't want to risk damaging the camera in there.
You were getting close to the answer, the picture of the wall is on the Caving club website on the home page watch the pictures scroll round.
www.derbyscc.org.ukNice one guys
Malc
Percussive maintainance, if it don't fit, hit it with the hammer.
