Haematite: The Lifeblood of Moor Row

Haematite is a mineral form of iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3) and serves as the most significant ore of iron. Its name is derived from the Greek word haimatites, meaning "blood-like," a reference to the vivid red colour it produces when ground into a powder or found in its earthy form.

In the context of Moor Row and the wider West Cumbrian iron ore field, haematite was uniquely valuable because of its exceptional purity. Known as "Bessemer grade" ore, it contained very low levels of phosphorus. This made it essential for the Bessemer process – the first inexpensive industrial process for the mass production of steel from molten pig iron – which could not successfully use high phosphorus ores.

Historical Discovery and Early Use

The use of haematite predates recorded history:

• Palaeolithic Era: As early as 100,000 years ago, early humans used red ochre (a variety of haematite) as a pigment for cave paintings and ritual purposes.
• Ancient Civilisations: The Egyptians used it for jewellery, amulets, and as a pigment in cosmetics. The Greeks used it for decorative purposes and eventually recognised its potential as a source of metal.
• The Mining Boom: While small-scale mining occurred in Cumbria during the Roman and Medieval periods, it was the Industrial Revolution in the mid-19th century that transformed haematite into a global commodity.

Iron Ore Varieties of Moor Row

The mining industry in Moor Row was built upon the extraction of high-grade haematite. While chemically consistent as iron oxide, the ore was recovered in several distinct physical forms that dictated its value and use.

Haematite (The Primary Ore)

The "bread and butter" of the local mines was massive or compact haematite. This dense, heavy ore occurred in vast replacement bodies within the Carboniferous Limestone. Because it was exceptionally low in phosphorus, it was the preferred material for the Bessemer steel-making process, which transformed the West Cumbrian economy.

Kidney Ore

Perhaps the most iconic form of haematite found in the area, kidney ore formed in botryoidal masses within cavities or vughs. It is characterised by its smooth, rounded outer surface and a radiating fibrous internal structure. These specimens were often kept by miners as "curios" due to their unique aesthetic and metallic lustre.

Specularite (Specular Haematite)

This variety appeared as masses of thin, tabular crystals or mica-like flakes. It is highly reflective and has a shimmering, glittery appearance when caught in the light. Though chemically the same as the massive ore, its brittle nature made it less common as a bulk industrial product compared to the denser varieties.

Pencil Ore

Pencil ore is a structural variation formed by the radial cleavage of large kidney ore masses. It consists of long, thin, splinter-like fragments that can be broken into straight, needle-like pieces. It was frequently found in the same mineral veins as the more common kidney ore specimens.

Industrial Applications

The primary use of haematite has always been the production of iron and steel. Because of its high iron content (approximately 70% in its purest state), it is the most efficient ore to smelt. In the 19th century, West Cumbrian haematite was in high demand worldwide, particularly for:

• Shipbuilding: Providing the steel for the hulls of Victorian steamships.
• Infrastructure: For the construction of bridges, girders, and machinery.
• Railway Rails: The most significant application for the growth of Moor Row.

The Moor Row Circular Economy

Moor Row provides a perfect historical example of a "circular economy" within the Victorian industrial landscape. The village did not just exist alongside the industry; it was physically and economically built by the very material extracted from beneath it.

1. Extraction: Haematite was extracted from local mines surrounding the village, such as the Montreal Mine, Jacktrees, and those operated by the Cleator Iron Ore Company.

2. Processing: The raw ore was transported via the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway (WC&ER) to local ironworks, such as the Cleator Moor Ironworks or the massive steelworks in Workington.

3. Manufacture: At these works, the haematite was smelted into pig iron and then converted into steel. A primary product of the Workington steelworks was heavy-duty steel rails.

4. Reinvestment: These rails, forged from the local haematite, were then transported back to Moor Row. They were laid down to expand the Moor Row railway junction and the various branch lines servicing the mines. In this cycle, the ground beneath Moor Row provided the raw material that was processed into the steel tracks that were then laid back onto that same ground. This infrastructure allowed for more efficient extraction, more workers to move into the village, and the further expansion of the West Cumbrian economy. The very tracks that made Moor Row a vital railway hub were, quite literally, a repurposed form of the earth found in the local mines.

The Bessemer Process

The Bessemer process was the catalyst that turned the West Cumbrian haematite trade from a local mining operation into a global industrial powerhouse. Before this innovation, steel was expensive and difficult to produce in large quantities. Patented by Henry Bessemer in 1856, the process involved blowing air through molten pig iron to remove impurities by oxidation.

The key challenge was phosphorus; if the iron contained even a small amount, the resulting steel would be "cold short" – meaning it was brittle and would crack under stress. Because West Cumbrian haematite was naturally low in phosphorus, it was the only ore in the UK initially suitable for this method. This "Bessemer grade" ore allowed for:

• Decarburisation: The air blast reacted with the carbon in the iron, raising the temperature and keeping the metal molten even as its melting point increased.
• Mass Production: Steel production time was cut from days to approximately 20 minutes per "heat."
• Cost Reduction: The price of steel dropped significantly, making it viable for the mass manufacture of the rails that eventually ran through Moor Row.

Local Ironworks Using West Cumbrian Haematite

While many works across the North West utilised the ore, several were instrumental in the local economy and the specific circular flow of material in the area:

• Cleator Moor Ironworks: Established in the 1840s and operated by the Cleator Iron Company. It was one of the closest major processing sites to the Moor Row mines. The site featured multiple blast furnaces that were often fed directly by the output of the Montreal and Jacktrees mines.
• Workington Haematite Iron and Steel Works: Often referred to locally as the "Old Side" or "Moss Bay." This became one of the most significant sites in the world for rail production. It was here that the haematite from the Moor Row area was transformed into the durable steel rails that would return to the village to expand the railway junction.
• Distington Ironworks: Located just north of the Moor Row area, these works were specifically designed to utilise the local ores. They produced high-quality pig iron that was shipped across the country for engineering and foundry work.
• Whitehaven Iron and Steel Works: Situated at Cleator Moor, these works were a primary destination for the ore hauled along the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway.

The relationship between these works and the mines was symbiotic. The proximity of the haematite to the coal of the Cumberland coalfield meant that all the raw ingredients for the Bessemer process were within a 15-mile radius, creating one of the most efficient industrial corridors in Victorian Britain.

The Legacy of the Slag Banks

The final, visible legacy of the iron industry in West Cumbria is the slag banks. These massive, artificial hills were the byproduct of the intense smelting process required to produce steel. Slag is a glass-like, stony waste material formed when limestone flux reacts with the impurities in the haematite ore inside the blast furnace. Being lighter than the molten iron, this waste floated to the top and was "tapped" off, then transported in ladles to be tipped into great heaps.

In the landscape surrounding Moor Row – particularly towards Cleator Moor and the coast at Workington – these banks became defining geographical features. They represent the sheer volume of "impurities" purged from the local ore to create high-purity Bessemer steel. Even this waste was integrated into the local circular economy; crushed slag was frequently reused as a durable ballast for the very railway lines that serviced the mines, providing a stable foundation for the heavy ore trains that defined the village's industrial life.

Inverted Mines and Altered Topology

In West Cumbria, the extraction of haematite and the subsequent tipping of waste created a phenomenon often referred to as inverted mines. This process fundamentally altered the topology of the area around Moor Row, turning deep subterranean voids into prominent surface landmarks.

The term "inverted mines" describes the dramatic topological shift that occurred as a result of the haematite industry. For every cubic metre of high-grade ore pulled from the shafts beneath Moor Row, a corresponding volume of material was displaced, leading to two distinct landscape changes:

• Subterranean Voids and Subsidence: The removal of massive haematite "pockets" – particularly using the pillar and stall method – often led to the eventual collapse of the overlying strata once the mines were abandoned. This created large depressions and "crown holes" on the surface, effectively mirroring the mine workings below.
• Surface Accumulation: While the iron was shipped away, the "dead rock" (shale and limestone) and the furnace slag were piled high onto the surface. This resulted in a landscape where the "missing" earth from the deep mines was stacked into artificial hills.

This process of "turning the earth inside out" completely altered the natural contours of the West Cumbrian landscape. Areas that were once flat agricultural fields were transformed into a series of basins and jagged slag banks. In Moor Row, this altered topology dictated the path of the railway extensions and the placement of housing, as developers had to navigate the precarious ground left behind by the very industry that sustained the village.

Kidney Ore Illustration