How lead was made.
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The Wicklow mountains were formed four million years ago. Granite is cooled magma. It was hidden under the earths crust and by  erosion was later exposed. Everyone can now see granite around the Wicklow Mountains. But once this granite was underground. Wind, rain, water and storms wore away the top layer to expose the granite. Other rocks from the sedimentary family of rocks were heated by high pressure and changed into mica-schist and metamorphic rocks. So Wicklow mountain has two main rocks, granite and mica-schist. Mining often happens were the granite and mica-schist meet and in this space lead, tin, iron, zinc and copper are sometimes found. The veins of lead were often hard to find so work was very difficult for the miners to take out the lead. Lead was the main ore found in the mines in Glendalough.
A miner's Lamp used in the mines in Glendalough. Bobby Carter showed us this one when he visited our class. It is over 50 years old. The lamps were powered by carbide.

by Nicola, Bridget and Aaron.

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