Alderley Edge
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SJ856775 | — | Favourable | 93.55 | 2024-04-01 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Rock Outcrop · Geological Period: Triassic
Description
Description Alderley Edge is the most extensively and comprehensively documented of the seven principal localities in the Cheshire Basin where nonferrous ores, chiefly of copper but including lead, cobalt, vanadium, arsenic and other elements, occur in sedimentary host rocks of Triassic age. The Alderley district is of unique geological importance as the only site in Britain where such ore deposits and the full local succession of sedimentary host rocks remain accessible for study in extensive mine workings. At Alderley these extend throughout an area of about 1.5 sq kilometres and comprise at least 12 kilometres of workings of which over 9 kilometres are currently accessible. Exposures in the mine workings significantly complement and are commonly superior to those available at the surface. Features of the mineralisation and its relationship to the sedimentary host rocks and aspects of the stratigraphy and sedimentology of those rocks, which are not apparent at outcrop are displayed to advantage in unweathered sections in the mines.