Settings
Terminal output is suppressed while Reduce motion is on (Accessibility options, or your system setting).
Record pages print like a terminal. Speed changes apply from the next page.
| Symbol | SiO₂ (>90%) |
|---|
This is a short overview. For the background — history, value over time and notable mines — see Ganister →
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.
| Mine | Region | Worked |
|---|---|---|
| Branthwaite Colliery | Cumbria | By 1852, possibly earlier–1921 |
| Butsfield Quarry | County Durham | from By 1922 |
| Commondale Quarry | North Yorkshire | 1860–1947 |
| Gillhead Colliery | Cumbria | By 1860s–1959 |
| Healeyfield Mine | County Durham | Working by the late 18th century–1930 |
| Houseslip Mine | County Durham | to 7 April 1924 |
| Stocksbridge Colliery | South Yorkshire | 1861–April 1948 |
| Viewly Hill Ganister Quarry | County Durham | By 1921–1923 |
| Wharncliffe Wood Ganister Mines | South Yorkshire | 1860s–c. 1945 |
MineArchive sets one cookie of its own to count returning readers and see which pages are used. It is not used for advertising and is not shared with anyone. Details
MineArchive