Scotland's most important mineral sites 'being targeted'

Minerals removed from the Fountainhead site included rare stibnite

A warning has been issued over illegal mineral collection after a woman was convicted of using a hammer to break rocks to collect rare specimens to sell.

At Paisley Sheriff Court earlier this year, Dagmara Lesiow Lasczcewski was found guilty of three charges of causing reckless damage to Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the first conviction of its kind in Scotland.

Government body NatureScot said some of the country's most vulnerable and important protected mineral sites were being targeted and damaged by people intending to sell them on.

Lasczcewski broke up the specimens extracted and then attempted to sell them online and via her specialist shop in Glasgow.

Two of the sites targeted - Fountainhead SSSI, near New Cumnock in East Ayrshire and Talnotry Mine SSSI, near Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway - are historic mining locations containing limited amounts of mineral-bearing spoil.

Minerals removed from the Fountainhead site included rare stibnite - a silvery-grey blade-shaped mineral that contains the semi-metal antimony.

NatureScot believes up to 20 other protected mineral sites in Scotland may also be affected by damaging and exploitative mineral collecting by unknown individuals.

Colin MacFadyen, a geological advisor with NatureScot, said the mineral heritage of Scotland was "an irreplaceable aspect of our nature".

He added: "Exploitative collecting from vulnerable sites is unsustainable, especially if it is commercially driven.

"Rare and important minerals can become lost to science and put beyond public sight. In this case, we have seen some of Scotland's most vulnerable and important protected mineral sites being targeted and damaged.

"We therefore welcome the verdict in this case and expect that it will serve as a deterrent against further damaging and illegal mineral collecting activity."

Collecting code

Lasczcsewski posted images on social media showing her at the sites, which a court heard showed her intent to break rocks and extract minerals using hammers.

Efforts are now being made to return the minerals to their rightful owners.

NatureScot said it was currently considering working with the amateur mineral collecting community to develop a mineral specimen collecting code, akin to the Scottish Fossil Code.

The code would provide enthusiasts with best practice guidance on how to collect minerals legally and responsibly.