Ganister

SymbolSiO₂ (>90%)

A very hard, fine-grained, silica-rich sandstone found beneath certain coal seams, prized for its ability to withstand extreme heat. Crushed and reformed into silica bricks, it was the standard refractory lining for the furnaces of the iron and steel industry.

Mines

MineRegionWorked
Wharncliffe Wood Ganister Mines South Yorkshire 1860s–Around the end of the Second World War