Diatomite Mining – A Forgotten Skye Industry

After a drizzly October morning, Richard and I took a short walk up to Lealt on the Trotternish Peninsula of Northern Skye. At the end of the farm track (pictured below), is Loch Cuithir from which Diatomite was extracted.

The farm track to Loch Cuithir, expertly navigated by Livvy (the canine member of Team RIG).

Diatomite comprises fossilised remains of diatoms; single-celled aquatic algae. It is a sedimentary deposit consisting almost entirely of silica. It is of low density and high porosity meaning it has high insulating and absorption properties.

In view of these qualities it had and still does have many uses. It is used in products such as cosmetics and toothpastes. Due to its abrasive and absorbent properties, it has also been used in cat litter and in blood clotting studies, as well as a stabilizing component of dynamite, a thermal insulator, and a soil for potted plants and trees. As such, this ore was extracted from a number of sites including Loch Cuithir.

Loch Cuithir

The diatomite was transported from the loch by horse drawn carts and later a railway (the remains of which can be seen in the photo below). The diatomite was then processed at Invertote, and production was continued by hand excavation until the early 20th Century. A later revival of the industry, using mechanical excavation occurred in the 1950’s.

However, the mechanical extraction introduced impurities which generated an inferior quality ore. Furthermore, the increased transportation costs to the new factory which was constructed 23 miles away at Uig harbour, meant that the mine became uneconomic and it was ultimately closed in the 1960s.

Remainder of railway track

The only remaining evidence of the processing plant, where the diatomite was dried and ground prior to transporting to the mainland is seen below the cliffs at the mouth of the River Lealt.

We would highly recommend taking the opportunity to visit the loch, if you are in this part of the world! The views from the top of the cliff at Ivertotoe are also spectacular. The loch is just a 3 mile walk in from the main road and parking is easy at the Lealt waterfall car park at the following postcode IV51 9JW (Lat,Long 57.565636, -6.155027). Any queries about visiting this captivating area, please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you are interested in hearing more thoughts or news from the RIG team, please click through our articles below or using the ‘NEWS’ tab at the top of the page. Thank you for reading.

- Ann Izatt-Lowry