A mineral collector has been convicted of damaging Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by using a hammer to break rocks to collect rare minerals to sell, in the first conviction of its kind in Scotland.

Dagmara Lesiow Lasczcewski was found guilty of three charges of causing reckless damage to SSSIs at Paisley Sheriff Court on 28th July 2025.

The offences involved the damage and removal of mineralised rock. Two of the sites targeted, Fountainhead SSSI, near New Cumnock, East Ayrshire and Talnotry Mine SSSI, near Newton Stewart, Dumfries and Galloway, are historic mining locations containing limited amounts of mineral-bearing spoil.

Minerals removed from the Fountainhead site included rare stibnite. The stibnite, which is a spectacular silvery-grey blade-shaped mineral, contains antimony, a type of semi-metal of exquisite quality not found elsewhere in Scotland. Fountainhead is nationally important for understanding the geological processes that concentrated antimony in this area of Scotland.

Specimens extracted from these vulnerable sites had been broken and advertised for sale online and at Ms Lasczcewski’s shop, the Caledonian Rock Shop, in Glasgow.


Photo: Dagmara Lesiow Lasczcewski
Photo Credit: Caledonian Rock Shop

The Court was shown evidence of social media posts which placed Ms Lasczcsewski at the sites showing her intent to break rocks and extract minerals using hammers. Efforts are now being made to return minerals, removed illegally from the SSSIs, to their rightful owners.

Separate to this case, NatureScot believes up to 20 other protected mineral sites in Scotland may also be affected by damaging and exploitative mineral collecting by unknown individuals. The nature agency is working to find out the extent of this, and how these nationally important sites can be safeguarded while supporting sustainable and responsible amateur mineral collecting.

NatureScot is considering working with the amateur mineral collecting community on the development of a mineral specimen collecting code, akin to the Scottish Fossil Code. The Code would provide enthusiasts with best practice guidance on how to collect minerals legally and responsibly.

Colin MacFadyen, Geological Advisor, with NatureScot said: “Scotland’s internationally important mineral heritage is an irreplaceable aspect of our nature with the best and most representative locations protected as SSSIs. We support mineral collecting for research, education and recreation, provided it is done responsibly, legally and in line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

“However, exploitative collecting from vulnerable sites is unsustainable, especially if it is commercially driven. Rare and important minerals can become lost to science and put beyond public sight. In this case, we have seen some of Scotland’s most vulnerable and important protected mineral sites being targeted and damaged.

“We therefore welcome the verdict in this case and expect that it will serve as a deterrent against further damaging and illegal mineral collecting activity. We want to make sure that everyone can benefit from Scotland’s world-class mineral heritage both now and in the future”.

Iain Batho, who leads on wildlife and environmental crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said:

“It is highly important to preserve Scotland’s natural heritage, including the geology that forms part of it. As such, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) are given strict protection by our law.

“COPFS takes offences in relation to damaging SSSIs seriously and action will be taken against those who commit such offences, where there is sufficient evidence of a crime and where it is in the overall public interest to do so.”


Photo: Evidence of mineral collecting at Talnotry Mine
Photo Credit: Colin MacFadyen/NatureScot


Photo:
Photo Credit: Colin MacFadyen/NatureScot


Photo: An example of the rare mineral stibnite
Photo Credit: NatureScot