Geology

The physical properties of the granite found at Mountsorrel Quarry make it a highly desirable building material – principally because of its strength. It is frequently used in concrete, for buildings and structures, and asphalt, for roads, because of its long-term durability. The quarry’s granite is also in demand for rail ballast – the stones you can see between and underneath railway tracks – as it is strong enough to support the steel track while trains speed along.

The quarry’s granite formed around 450 million years ago, after movements in the earth’s crust forced molten rock to the surface. The stone’s distinctive pink colour is derived from large pink crystals which formed as the rock cooled.