Moor Farm Quarry

I visited Moor Farm Quarry, Bonsall Moor on the 18th May 2017.  It's best approached via Bonsall Moor Lane from the Winster direction.  I was able to park on the grass along side the entrance track to the Quarry and walk the rest of the way.  It's not possible to drive much further as there is a padlocked gate across the track a little further on.

THE TRACK TO THE QUARRY ON THE JUNCTION OF BONSALL MOOR LANE

VIEW OF THE QUARRY

QUARRY FACE

Background

I have been unable to find any real information on this quarry and its history.  It is currently quite a dangerous site being overgrown and with very unstable rock faces.  Care should be taken when exploring it!  I have a strong suspicion that the quarry was originally much deeper and has probably been backfilled at some point.

There are also a considerable number of old lead mine workings on the high ground just east of the quarry.

OLD MINE WORKINGS OVERLOOKING MOOR FARM

ATTRACTIVE VIEW JUST EAST OF THE QUARRY

Mineralogy

The quarry contains Limestone with many small mineral veins running through it.  Calcite, Flourspar, Baryte and Galena are evident.

MINERAL VEINS AND CAVITIES IN THE LIMESTONE

FLUORSPAR FILLED CAVITY HIGH UP ON THE CLIFF FACE

Minerals found

The site contains a lot of Calcite and I managed to find and extract these rather nice scalenohedron twin crystals formed on a bed of dog tooth crystals.  I included a penny coin to give an indication of the scale:

CALCITE SCALENOHEDRON TWINS

Galena was present in small quantities mainly amongst the baryte which also appeared in cockscombe form.

GALENA WITH BARYTE AND PURPLE FLUORSPAR

FRESHLY FRACTURED GALENA

The nearby mine spoil heaps above the quarry revealed plenty of Iceland Spar (the clear rhomboid form of Calcite) along with Galena, Baryte and some Iron Pyrites.

SMALL IRON PYRITES CUBES IN LIMESTONE