ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti wˈɪljəm ɡɹˈɛɡɚ dɪskˈʌvɚd ˈɪlmənˌaɪt, ɐn ˈaɪɚn taɪtˈeɪniəm ˈɑːksaɪd, wˌɪtʃ hiː nˈeɪmd mˈɛnɐtʃˌænaɪt ænd ɪz sˈʌmtaɪmz stˈɪl kˈɔːld mˈænɐkˌænaɪt, ɪn ɡˈɪlən kɹˈiːk ðæt ɹˈʌnz θɹuː ðə vˈæli dʒˈʌst sˈaʊθ ʌvðə vˈɪlɪdʒ.
In 1790 William Gregor discovered ilmenite, an iron titanium oxide, which he named menachanite (and is sometimes still called manaccanite), in Gillan Creek that runs through the valley just south of the village.