Anglo Great Lakes Graphite Plant
Encyclopedia
The Anglo Great Lakes Graphite Plant was a large graphite
works situated in the North East of England. It was positioned at Lemington
in Newcastle upon Tyne
, on the north bank of the River Tyne
. The plant was operated by the Anglo Great Lakes Corporation and produced high grade carbon for use in magnox nuclear reactors
and low grade carbon for use in carbon arc burning.
a munitions factory was built on the site. The factory was demolished following World War II
and the land reclaimed. The graphite plant was then constructed in 1958 for the conversion of carbon into graphite for use in the nuclear industry. The plant was continued operating until the early 1990s and was subsequently demolished, along with the neighbouring Stella North power station. The two adjoining sites are currently being redeveloped as an industrial
/business park
, Newburn Riverside.
Graphite
The mineral graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. It was named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789 from the Ancient Greek γράφω , "to draw/write", for its use in pencils, where it is commonly called lead . Unlike diamond , graphite is an electrical conductor, a semimetal...
works situated in the North East of England. It was positioned at Lemington
Lemington
Lemington is a housing area and electoral ward of Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England.-History:Lemington has a strong industrial history. It is famous for its brick glassworks cone, built in 1787...
in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, on the north bank of the River Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
. The plant was operated by the Anglo Great Lakes Corporation and produced high grade carbon for use in magnox nuclear reactors
Magnox
Magnox is a now obsolete type of nuclear power reactor which was designed and is still in use in the United Kingdom, and was exported to other countries, both as a power plant, and, when operated accordingly, as a producer of plutonium for nuclear weapons...
and low grade carbon for use in carbon arc burning.
History
The plant was built on the Newburn Haugh. During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
a munitions factory was built on the site. The factory was demolished following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the land reclaimed. The graphite plant was then constructed in 1958 for the conversion of carbon into graphite for use in the nuclear industry. The plant was continued operating until the early 1990s and was subsequently demolished, along with the neighbouring Stella North power station. The two adjoining sites are currently being redeveloped as an industrial
Industrial park
An industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development...
/business park
Business park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....
, Newburn Riverside.