Former mining site closing to public

An area of former mining land in the south of the Island will be closed to the public from next Monday.

'Cross Vein' in Foxdale will no longer be accessible to the public due to concerns caused by historic waste material from the former mine, known as Snuff the Wind.

The action was recommended after a project to remove silt from Peel Bay Marina found a significant proportion of contaminants were linked with historic metal mining.

Despite not being an active mine for nearly 140 years, contaminated spoil heaps surrounding the engine house still contain heavy metals including lead and zinc.

The decision to restrict access to people and vehicles will limit the amount of contaminated material being disturbed, entering rivers, and ending up in Peel Bay Marina, where dredging and disposal continues to be a significant financial and environmental issue.