Dawson's Plantation Quarry
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ336547 | — | Favourable | 0.75 | 2021-11-16 |
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Permian
Description
Description This disused quarry contains an excellent exposure of a submarine debris flow that lies a few metres above the base of the Raisby Formation. Though generally less than a metre thick, the debris flow within Dawson’s Plantation displays great lateral variation. It forms part of a more extensive, but discontinuous, thin sheet of disrupted strata. Movement of the debris flow, east–north eastwards down the marginal slope of the Zechstein Sea, may have been triggered by one or more earthquakes. The quarry also features many curved joints and minor movement planes, also possibly caused by contemporary, but slightly later earth movements. This site provides the best exposed example of a debris flow in the marine Permian of the Durham Province.