Strontian

Strontian is a small town on the banks of Loch Sunart ( a marine fjord ) in the western Highlands of Scotland. The town is located near the exit of the Great Glen (Big Valley) and the mouth of Loch Sunart is opposite the Isle of Mull. The nearest major town is Fort William. The eponymous river flows near the village in the Loch Sunart.

The word comes from the Strontian Scottish Gaelic Language ( SRON t- Sìtheinn ), meaning " nose of the elves ."

History

Strontian is mining center since 1722 or 1724, was established for the mine workers. By 1902, the ore galena was mined in the area around Strontian and derived silver, lead and zinc. The highlight of the mining activity was around the year 1730 around. At this time, 600 people worked in the nearby mines. Since the 1980s, barite is mined in the area, which is used for example in the oil industry for filling of wells.

In 1820, Strontian was due to the scale of Thomas Telford road between Corran and Acharacle. The place was also started regularly from ships on the way to Tobermory on Mull.

In 1843, a landowner refused permission to build on his land a Presbyterian church. The congregation then bought a ship, it rebuilt the church and moored it on the hole Stuart. This floating church was known beyond the borders of the place out and was up in the 1870s in use.

Today, the site lives while still also from mining, but is mainly school and shopping spot for the surrounding hamlets and farmsteads. Tourism is in the local economy an ever more important. On site there is a hotel, bed and breakfasts and campsites. Overall, the area is not yet developed very touristy.

Strontium

Strontian is named after the chemical element strontium. In 1790 the Scottish scientist Adair Crawford discovered the mineral strontianite ( SrCO3 with inclusions of BaCO3 ) as the first mineral that was first discovered in Scotland. Crawford realized that in the mineral could be a present previously unknown element, but it took until 1807 or 1808, to Humphry Davy, it represented the first time from strontianite.

The occurrence of the Strontianites lies on the slopes of a few kilometers away from the village 847 meters high mountain Beinn Resipol. The place Scotstown is closer to the reference than Strontian. The main rock there is the Strontian Granite, which is younger than the surrounding Grampian Mountains.

Strontian is also the site where the strontium -containing Minerals brewsterite.