Clee Hill Dolerite (England, UK)

Titterstone Clee Hill Dolerite Specimen - Titterstone Clee Hill, Shropshire Hills, Shropshire, England, UK

This heavy and durable specimen is an outstanding example of Dolerite (also commonly known as Diabase or locally as "Whinstone"), a mafic intrusive igneous rock sourced from the historically important quarries of Titterstone Clee Hill, Shropshire, England.

The rock exhibits a characteristic dark, mottled grey to black colour with a visibly medium-grained texture, indicative of its hypabyssal (shallow intrusive) origin. The individual crystals of plagioclase feldspar and dark pyroxene are interlocking and easily identifiable, formed as the magma cooled relatively quickly within a massive sill or dyke. The surface may show slight weathering or fracture patterns, occasionally revealing minor dark mineral veins or patches of oxidation.

The Titterstone Clee Hill Dolerite intrusion formed during the Carboniferous Period (around 320 million years ago) and is famous for its exceptionally hard, durable nature. Historically, this rock has been extensively quarried and used across the UK as a premium aggregate for road stone, railway ballast, and construction due to its resistance to weathering and crushing. The intrusion forms a conspicuous landscape feature, offering a geological contrast to the surrounding sedimentary rocks. This durable and historically relevant specimen is ideal for earth science collectors, students studying UK geology, or anyone seeking a dense, high-quality example of a mafic intrusive rock with a great industrial history.

Origin: Titterstone Clee Hill, Shropshire Hills, Shropshire, England, UK (click here for Mindat info)
Rock type: Dolerite
Size: ~6(L) x 6(H) x 4(W) cm (see scale cube), 206 g