Parc Mine

Overview

Parc Mine is located in the Gwydir Forest within the Snowdonia National Park, approximately 1.6km southwest of Llanrwst and approximately 5km north of Betws-y-Coed.

Parc Mine was worked sporadically from 1855 to 1963, recovering over 10,000 tons of lead and 4,000 tons of zinc.

The mine is interconnected via its underground workings with eleven other mines, and sits in close proximity to numerous other independent mines such as Hafna Mine and Pandora Mine. 

When the mine closed in 1963 a large spoil tip, or pile of material discarded during mining, was located downstream of the main mine haulage entrance and exit point (Level No. 3 Adit).  Flash flooding over a number of years caused significant erosion of the spoil tip which deposited metal rich sediment on farmland over 1km downstream.

In 1977 a reclamation scheme was carried out which re-profiled and capped the spoil tip to create a stable well-drained landform and constructed a lined stream channel for the Nant Gwydyr.

In 2011 Level No. 3 Adit collapsed close to its entrance, forcing water to exit the mine from the lower Level No. 4 Adit, via Kneebones Cutting which is a stope or open void. 

A review of mining and mine water hydrology was undertaken in 2020, which indicated a low risk of sudden release of mine water from Level No. 3 and 4 Adits.

Like many former metal mine sites, Parc Mine has a number of ecological designations. The Adits and associated features are located in a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for calaminarian grasslands and the lesser horseshoe bat and is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for geological features, plant assemblages and bat hibernation sites.