Limestone foundations: Dene Quarry
Limestone is often said to be the world's most versatile mineral. It has a wide variety of industrial applications, although its primary use is in the construction industry. Limestone is the principal source of crushed rock aggregate in Britain. Aggregates are a vital component in constructing homes, public and industrial buildings, as well as the transport and other infrastructure which is vital to our modern economy. Limestone is also an essential raw material for cement manufacture and a source of building stone.
The Carboniferous Limestone is the major limestone resource in Britain and is quarried in the Peak District, the Mendips Hills, Wales and in many other areas. 19 active quarries and one limestone mine produce around 20 million tonnes of limestone each year in Derbyshire and the Peak District National Park. These and other disused quarries now form a distinctive part of the Peak District landscape.
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Dene Quarry, Cromford.
Dene Quarry at Cromford is a large operation producing crushed rock aqggregates for roadstone and concrete. The quarry works dark grey Eyam Limestones and the underlying grey Monsal Dale Limestones and is notable for developments of pale grey reef limestone within the Eyam Limestones.
The limestones of the Peak District are characteristically flat-lying and are noted for their uniformity over wide areas. Quarries in the Monsal Dale Limestones and Eyam Limestones produce aggregates and cement. High purity industrial limestone is quarried from the Bee Low Limestones.
Click here for more information on past and present quarrying activities at Dene
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