Bar don H ill Quar r y

Bardon Hill Quarry is in north-west Leicestershire in the East Midlands where the rocks have been extracted
for more than 400 years. The quarry is on private land, but there are footpaths around its edges from where
you can view the mining activity. Quarries are dangerous places and you should not attempt to enter.
Bardon Hill rocks formed from a volcano in Precambrian times, about 570 million years ago.
The volcanic rocks are called andesite and its eruptions were similar to those recently witnessed on the island
of Montserrat in the West Indies.

About Bardon Hill Quarry

The modern quarry is about 800 m across.
The volcanic rocks of Bardon Quarry are
It produces about three million tonnes of crushed rock per year, which is around 15% of a normal year’s
production for the whole of the UK. called andesite and its eruptions were similar
to the ongoing eruptions on the island of
This rock is valued for its properties when it is crushed and is used to build roads and for the foundations of Montserrat, West Indies.
buildings.

Did you know?

Bardon Hill is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because it has veins of quartz
containing native copper and gold. It is also an unconformity; in the Triassic, the ancient
land surface of Precambrian volcanic rocks had been eroded to form deep valleys called
‘wadis’ and these were infilled by red coloured desert sediments. Further Bardon Quarry
SSSI information is available from www.naturalengland.org.uk.
Other facts:
• Bardon Hill is home to the rare Charnwood red spider.
• Bardon Hill is the highest point in Leicestershire (278 m).
• It takes about 60 tonnes of aggregate to build one house. Bardon quarry from Bardon Hill.

© BGS, UKRI 2020

Bardon Hill Quarry Volcano Model A. Base
(not to scale) rock is used to build roads, schools and houses...

ue

ue
Gl
Today at Bardon Hill in Leicestershire the volcanic

Gl
Bardon Hill Quarry Volcano Model
(not to scale) Glue G
G
G G G
G
G
G

ASH
DEBRIS FLOW
G G

PY
G G

RO
CLA
What you will need:
ST
IC
G VO
LCA G
NO
G
G
G
G G
G
1 cut out the pattern

© UKP/Getmapping Licence No. UKP2006/01

G
Glue
2 fold along the straight lines
3 glue tabs as indicated
Additional instructions can be found at
http://www.bgs.ac.uk/research/highlights/iceland/3dVolcanicModel.html

celebrating
rock is used to build roads, schools and houses...

e
Glu

e
Glu
Today at Bardon Hill in Leicestershire the volcanic

© UKP/Getmapping Licence No. UKP2006/01

celebrating

years
years

www.bgs.ac.uk

www.bgs.ac.uk
BGS © NERC, 2010
GLUE

A
Cut out hole

OCEANIC CRUST

CONTINENTAL CRUST
OCEANIC CRUST VOLCANO CONTINENTAL CRUST

MAGMA RISES
SUBDU
CTIO
NZ ROCKS MELT
Glu

ON

Glu
E
e

e
575 million years ago a volcano formed...

2010
Bardon Hill Quarry Volcano Model

UKRI, 2020
(not to scale) Glue G
G
G G G
G
G
G

B
ASH
DEBRIS FLOW

G G
PY

G G
RO

BGS © NERC,
CL A

ST
IC
G VO
LCA G
NO
G
G
G
G G
G
1 cut out the pattern
G
Glue
2 fold along the straight lines
3 glue tabs as indicated
Additional instructions can be found at
http://www.bgs.ac.uk/research/highlights/iceland/3dVolcanicModel.html

rock is used to build roads, schools and houses...

e
Glu

e
Glu

Today at Bardon Hill in Leicestershire the volcanic

© UKP/Getmapping Licence No. UKP2006/01
celebrating
years

Cut out hole

www.bgs.ac.uk

1. Cut around the 2 parts of the model —

BGS © NERC, 2010

you may need to get an adult to help you

Cut out hole
OCEANIC CRUST

CONTINENTAL CRUST

A. Base OCEANIC CRUST

SUBDU
CTIO
NZ
VOLCANO

MAGMA RISES
ROCKS MELT
CONTINENTAL CRUST
Glu

ON
Glu

B. Volcano and quarry

e

575 million years ago a volcano formed...

2. Base: cut out the hole in the middle

of the base. Fold along the thick black
OCEANIC CRUST

CONTINENTAL CRUST
lines and glue tabs to make-up the
model like a box lid. Allow to dry.
3. Volcano and quarry: fold as shown
in the images on page 2 and glue the
tabs.
4. Glue the volcano and quarry to the
base as shown in the image on page 2. VOLCANO
OCEANIC CRUST U CONTINENTAL CRUST

MAGMA RISES
SUBDU
CTIO
NZ ROCKS MELT
Gl

ON

Gl
E
u

ue
e

© BGS, UKRI 2020 About 570 million years ago a volcano formed...
1
Bardon Hill Quarry Volcano Model B. Volcano and quarry

(not to scale) Glu

e
G
1. Cut around the 2 parts of the model G
G G G
G
G
G

ASH
DEBRIS FLOW
G G

PY
G G

ROC
LA
ST
IC
G VO
LCA G
NO
G
G
G
2. Making the base G G
G

G
Glu
e

3. Assembling the volcano and quarry

© BGS, UKRI 2020