Saltburn, Cleveland
South of Middlesborough on the north east coast of England is Saltburn-by-Sea. A mile or so inland is Saltburn Mine Water Treatment Scheme. The site treats the floodwater of an iron stone mine that closed in the 1960’s. Like the surrounding landscape, illuminated by the glare of reflected light off the North Sea, Saltburn yellow ochre is lighter in tone than the other mine water ochres. The paint on the wall is an ultra matt emulsion that resembles the material in its raw pigment state, it has no additional binders or enhancers other than an organic cellulose medium. This flat matt surface conceals an unexpected brightness and warmth visible when the colour is expressed in a transparent medium like watercolour.
Saltburn is in one of the few mining regions that remains active. A thousand meters under the North Sea is Boubly potash mine, one of the deepest in Europe. An environment so remote that it doubles as a deep underground laboratory suitable for hosting ultra-low background science projects, like the search for dark matter.
