A new vein of a very rare mineral has been found in Derbyshire.
The only place in the world where you can find Blue John stone is in a cavern beneath Treak Cliff Hill, near Castleton in the Peak District, and now a new vein of the mineral has been found.
It's been named the Ridley Vein after Gary Ridley, the miner who found it after attempting a new mining method with a stone chainsaw.
He said he could not "believe his eyes" when he came across the Blue John.
The stone was fashionable during the Regency period in the early 1800s and is displayed at Buckingham Palace and at Derbyshire's Chatsworth House.
First Blue John vein in 150 years found in Derbyshire Peak District
BBC News
19 August
The new Blue John variant has "swirling patterns of purple and blue"
A vein of Blue John stone has been found in Derbyshire, 150 years after the last discovery.
The rare mineral, which is only found beneath Treak Cliff Hill, near Castleton in the Peak District, is so called due to its distinctive colour.
The new vein has been named the Ridley Vein after Gary Ridley, the miner who found it after attempting a new mining method with a stone chainsaw.
He said he could not "believe his eyes" when he came across the Blue John.
The stone was fashionable during the Regency period in the early 1800s and is displayed at Buckingham Palace and at Derbyshire's Chatsworth House.
Gary Ridley said the Blue John was like none he had ever seen before
Mr Ridley, who manages Treak Cliff Cavern, said he tried out the new saw near the tourist route.
"Having spotted a small amount of crystallisation near the handrail it was just an easy and convenient place to see how well the saw would cut...
"I couldn't believe my eyes when within a few minutes I had uncovered a substantial deposit of Blue John unlike any other vein I had ever seen before."
Vicky Turner, whose family have owned and managed Treak Cliff Cavern since the 1940s, said the Ridley Vein has "swirling patterns of purple and blue" and will be made into decorative bowls and other pieces.
Each vein has its own colour and banding of blue, purple, yellow and white. Historically, there have been 14 distinct veins of Blue John including Millers Vein, Treak Cliff Blue Vein, 5 Vein, 12 Vein and Old Tor Vein.
The Ridley Vein has now entered the record books as variant number 15.
The Ridley Vein has been recorded as variant number 15
Treak Cliff Cavern visitor centre and office complex
The Ram's Head and the Stork, features of the Dream Cave chamber in Treak Cliff Cavern, part of the 'New Series'
First Blue John vein in 150 years found in Derbyshire Peak District - BBC News
The only place in the world where you can find Blue John stone is in a cavern beneath Treak Cliff Hill, near Castleton in the Peak District, and now a new vein of the mineral has been found.
It's been named the Ridley Vein after Gary Ridley, the miner who found it after attempting a new mining method with a stone chainsaw.
He said he could not "believe his eyes" when he came across the Blue John.
The stone was fashionable during the Regency period in the early 1800s and is displayed at Buckingham Palace and at Derbyshire's Chatsworth House.
First Blue John vein in 150 years found in Derbyshire Peak District
BBC News
19 August
The new Blue John variant has "swirling patterns of purple and blue"
A vein of Blue John stone has been found in Derbyshire, 150 years after the last discovery.
The rare mineral, which is only found beneath Treak Cliff Hill, near Castleton in the Peak District, is so called due to its distinctive colour.
The new vein has been named the Ridley Vein after Gary Ridley, the miner who found it after attempting a new mining method with a stone chainsaw.
He said he could not "believe his eyes" when he came across the Blue John.
The stone was fashionable during the Regency period in the early 1800s and is displayed at Buckingham Palace and at Derbyshire's Chatsworth House.
Gary Ridley said the Blue John was like none he had ever seen before
Mr Ridley, who manages Treak Cliff Cavern, said he tried out the new saw near the tourist route.
"Having spotted a small amount of crystallisation near the handrail it was just an easy and convenient place to see how well the saw would cut...
"I couldn't believe my eyes when within a few minutes I had uncovered a substantial deposit of Blue John unlike any other vein I had ever seen before."
Vicky Turner, whose family have owned and managed Treak Cliff Cavern since the 1940s, said the Ridley Vein has "swirling patterns of purple and blue" and will be made into decorative bowls and other pieces.
Each vein has its own colour and banding of blue, purple, yellow and white. Historically, there have been 14 distinct veins of Blue John including Millers Vein, Treak Cliff Blue Vein, 5 Vein, 12 Vein and Old Tor Vein.
The Ridley Vein has now entered the record books as variant number 15.
The Ridley Vein has been recorded as variant number 15
Treak Cliff Cavern visitor centre and office complex
The Ram's Head and the Stork, features of the Dream Cave chamber in Treak Cliff Cavern, part of the 'New Series'
First Blue John vein in 150 years found in Derbyshire Peak District - BBC News