Friday 1 April 2011

Black Rocks - Dene Quarry


Looking out from the top of Black Rocks again, it's not quite so pretty the other way. However, as I've said before, locals can't live on fresh air.

This is Dene Quarry, owned and managed by Tarmac Ltd. It is a limestone quarry, producing crushed rock aggregates for roads and concrete. It was opened in 1942 and, originally, provided rock for the facings of many significant buildings, including the Royal Festival Hall in London. Then, in 1966, the quarry turned to aggregates to provide crushed limestone for the construction of the M1 motorway.



More recently, stone from Dene has been used in the linings of the Channel Tunnel, so a part of the age old sea bed of Derbyshire has once again returned to being under the sea.

When workings eventually cease here, the area will be restored and landscaped back into its surroundings.

4 comments:

  1. Re-landscaping is good, to reduce the surface scarring and will do much to help.

    Except of course you cannot "restore" the millions of tons of rock that have been ripped from the earth.

    They have done the same (makin' girt big 'oles) to parts of the Yorkshire Dales :(

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  2. It's amazing how nicely old quarries can be 'restored' if there's enough money thrown at the project. I can visualise a lovely central lake area with an assortment of highrise, luxury apartments, interesting shops and restaurants and beautiful gardens with walkways and boardwalks when this quarry has done its duty.

    I rather like the fact that some of the rock has been returned to the seabed :)

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  3. The task of landscaping such a massive hole back into the landscape will be a daunting task indeed.

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  4. OH, the reality of life is not as pretty, is it? I am very glad to hear that they will restore the area. The greatest example of a restored quarry is Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia.
    http://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=butchart+gardens&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&sa=X&ei=8eqVTYGkNITj0gHHwtH4Cw&ved=0CFEQsAQ&biw=1232&bih=1308

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