Steetly Magnesite - 28/03/09

[**MudLark**]

After a slight run-in with a hobo at another site, we decided on our mini road trip to take a trip to the coast.
It was a glorious day and very hard to take a bad photo, so with a couple of almost dissapointed newbies in tow we headed for the unbelievebaly bleak but nicely photogenic steetly.

In 1936, a pioneering theory was tested that would facilitate the creation of magnesium through its reaction with dolomite in seawater. Up until this point, Britain had been forced to import magnesia from europe and austria so the idea of being able to produce it on home soil was greatly encouraged.
Starting off with a bathtub as a settling tank and a kiln made from a 2m long steel tube, the process was refined and funding was secured for a full scale plant which was opened a year later.
Hartlepool was chosen for its proximity to both dolomite from Coxoe, and the relativly stable quality of seawater off the coast. The durham coalfields provided the fuel for the huge kilns needed.

To extract magnesium from seawater, you start by mixing the seawater with calcium oxide, or lime. In Steetley's case, lime was replaced with dolomite, as it aided the seperation process of the slurry left behind. he slurry is seperated in a settlement tank, the solids are removed, filtered, and washed to remove residual chlorides. The end result is a loosely packed “cake” of material which is dead burned in a kiln to leave magnesium oxide behind.
Magnesia.

There are two grades of magnesia. Steetly began by producing Refactory grade which is used in manufacture of refractory bricks, tiles and gunning materials for application in steel, cement and non-ferrous industries. Note the time of production of the plant. Home made magnesia was starting to look very important with the growing situation in europe which of course, lead to WW2.
The finer, chemical grade magnesia was produced later on. This is used in the manufacture of rubber, plastics, leather, oil, paper pulp and fertilisers.

Still awake?


Years of steady growth followed, and in 1961, the huge chinmey was built, followed the next year by the production of the worlds biggest settlement tank. (And now swimming pool to local charves....)
At its peak in 1967, Steetly had an output of 5,147 tons of magnesium per week.
In 1997 the plant was privatised, and bought by a company called Britmag. The downturn in the Steel industry was starting to take its toll and after a couple more changes of hands, the site finally closed by CJC chemicals in June 2005.
There have been several half hearted attempts at demolition over the years. That, and local chav and pikey efforts have left Steetly an apocolyptic shadow of its former self.
Some sites go beyond dereliction, beyond abandonment. Steetly is pure art.....


before...


after.


before...


after.

aaaaand the rest!

























For a site sooooo well covered, it is definately worth a visit, there is sooooo much to see, and it changes all the time!
Still, it seems to be one of those places that is always going to be there.... so there really is no rush. Despite plans for swanky seafront houses i very much doubt anything is going to happen soon!

[BB]

Cool shots

That water looks so tempting!
Prob have no skin left after!

[KingElvis]

I love Steetly, been twice now and I always like to see someone elses take on it.

Nice pictures :-)

[Muse]

Nice shots mudlark, I will see this one day, looks amazing.

[BA]

Great pics there
HAHA just noticed your 'share the stickiness'

[Neosea]

I want to visit this place and fish off the jetty.

[Gangeox]

I want to visit this place and fish off the jetty.

I want you to fish of the jetty, so you can catch me my dinner!!

Nice shots by the way, very clear, looks like you had the right weather.

[magoo²]

Nice shots and report

I like steetley it has a real mad max post war feel to it.