Main Quarry, Mountsorrel
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
Unfavourable Recovering (1)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SK577148 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 14.71 | 2023-01-11 |
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Rock Type: Dolomite, Granite
Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous
Description
Area,14.2 hectares 35.0 ac Description Main Quarry Castle Hill Quarry provides a fine example of granite related, temperature controlled mineralisation characterised by molybdenite, allanite and topaz, modified by a later introduction of dolomite, sulphides and crystallised chlorites. The quarry also displays what is probably the most dramatic and well developed occurrence of asphaltite in Britain upon which international research into the origin of life on Earth has been carried out.