Bardon Hill Quarry
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SK456130 | — | Favourable | 58.17 | 2023-01-11 |
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Precambrian · Rock Type: Andesite
Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous
Description
Description Bardon Hill is an extensive area of active quarrying which provides important exposures of Precambrian Igneous rocks which are important for the understanding of the late Precambrian Volcanic history of the Charnwood Forest area. The quarries also provide exposures demonstrating mineralisation related to the hydrothermal modifications of an ancient lava flow, of Precambrian age. The Precambrian Igneous rocks belong to the Charnian sequence and consist of a variety of extrusive and possible intrusive rocks, mainly porphyritic dacites, pyroclastic breccias and eutaxitic tuffs containing well sorted blocks of dacitic material. Belts of epidotisation are related to the areas of mineralisation within the quarries. A well developed system of quartz filled north west to south east shear fractures and associated tension gashes cut right across the quarry. A unique andesite dyke cuts east west across the pyroclastic breccias. Preliminary investigations of the hydrothermal mineralisation suggest that the mineralization is related to a gold chloritisation mechanism unknown elsewhere in Britain.