A remote Highland village is facing the loss of one of its biggest employers with the planned closure of a 63-year-old silica mine.

A remote Highland village is facing the loss of one of its biggest employers with the planned closure of a 63-year-old silica mine.

The 200 inhabitants of Lochaline, on the Morvern peninsula, believe the community is now fighting for its economic survival.

Tarmac, a supplier of building and aggregate products which is part of the Anglo-American Group, has entered into a formal 30-day consultation process with the 11 local staff in preparation for the mine's closure. The village, 40 miles from Fort William, is served only by a single-track road and the sea.

A public meeting has been held by the Morvern Community Council to discuss the imminent closure of the mine.

Iain Thornber, chair of the community council, said yesterday it would have devastating effects on the village and the surrounding area. In addition to the job losses, he said, there would also be the loss of revenue to the local post office, shop and hotel.

Closure would have an adverse effect on a proposed new primary school, the local fire-fighting unit, the GP cover and medical practice, he said.

There would be also be the loss of the village common good fund, to which Tarmac contributes, which pays for children to travel to the swimming pool in Fort William.

The community council has pledged its support to keeping the mine operational and has organised a number of meetings between Highland Council elected members and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Local MSP Fergus Ewing, Jim Mather, the Energy Minister and Charles Kennedy, the local MP, are also to be involved.

From its opening in the 1940s, the mine's output increased until 1997 when it peaked at 130,000 tonnes. Today it is around 52,000.