(Frodingham) Ironstone
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MAGAZINE OF THE GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION GAGA Volume 6 No. 1 March 2007 TThhee IIssllaanndd ooff EEllbbaa PPoott LLuucckk -- KKeennsswwoorrtthh QQuuaarrrryy CChhaannggee ttoo SSuurrvviivvee PPhhoottooggrraapphhiicc AArrcchhiivveess SSoouutthheerrnn TThhaaiillaanndd GGaass CChhiimmnneeyyss MMeesssseell PPiitt FFrrooddiinngghhaamm IIrroonnssttoonnee CC NNeeuuttrraall FFiieelldd TTrriippss?? Magazine of the Geologists’ Association Volume 6 issue 1, 2007 GAGA CONTENTS is published by the Geologists’ Association. Four issues are 3. The Association produced in the year. ISSN 1476-7600 4. GA Meetings March/April/May Production team: Paula Carey, John Cosgrove, John Crocker, Vanessa Harley, Bill French 5. In the Proceedings Printed by GRAYAM PRESS, Billericay. 6. The Island of Elba - A Geological Jewel The GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION does not accept any responsibility for views and opinions 9. Pot Luck - Kensworth Quarry expressed by individual authors in this magazine. 10. Change to Survive The Geologists’ Association The Association, founded in 1858, exists to foster the progress and 11. GA Photographic Archives diffusion of the science of geology, and to encourage research and the development of new methods. It holds meetings for the read- 13. Southern Thailand - Coast to Coast ing of papers and the delivery of lectures, organises museum demonstrations, publishes Proceedings and Guides, and conducts 15. Book Review - A Pocket Guide to the field meetings. London Clay Annual Subscription for 2007 are £40.00, Associates £30.00, Joint Members £58.00, Students £18.00. 16. What are Gas Chimneys? For forms of Proposal for Membership and further information, apply to the Executive Secretary, The Geologists’ Association, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0DU. 18. Frankfurt Field Trip Part 2 E-mail [email protected] - The Messel Pit Telephone 020 7434 9298 Fax 020 7287 0280 Website: http://www.geologist.demon.co.uk 20. The History of Frodingham Ironstone President: Mike Benton 22. Is Your Field Trip Carbon Neutral? Executive Secretary: Sarah Stafford 23. Curry Fund Report 24. Prize Photrographs Cover picture: © The Geologists’ Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be ‘Red Hot and Runny’ part of the winning photograph reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in by Jenny Forest from the Festival of Geology. The any form or by means, without the prior permission in complete photograh can be seen on the back cover. writing of the author and the Geologists’ Association. LAST Copy dates for the Circular ADVERTISEMENTS While precautions are taken to ensure the validity of advertise- March Issue January 14th June Issue April 22nd ments the Association is not responsible for the items offered, for September Issue July 22nd December Issue October 21st any loss arising or for their compliance with regulations. Please note that the dates given are for the Circular. They also represent dates at which the magazine will go to press. However, NOTICE CONCERNING FIELD MEETINGS: because of the greater time required to set the magazine, items The Association now has a mobile phone for should be submitted as soon as possible and not targeted on these dates. We welcome contributions from Members and others. We are emergency communications concerning field currently limited to 24 pages. Pictures for publication can be as slides, pho- meetings (UK only). If you have to cancel on the tographs or high resolution digital images - preferably on CD. day, or are lost or late for the start of a field meeting, please call the GA mobile phone (07724133290). The mobile phone will only be switched on just Advertising Rates before and during field meetings. Full Page £360 Half Page £190 Quarter Page £100 Other sizes by arrangement. (For routine enquires, please call the Field Meetings Secretary on the usual number.) 2 GA Magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 6, No. 1, 2007 THE ASSOCIATION From the President As we begin a new year, and the year that ANNUAL DINNNER precedes our sesquicentenary in 2008, now is a good time to spread the word about the GA. It is somewhat ironic that FRIDAY MAY 4 2007 at a time when concern about the Earth has never been higher (2008 is also the United Nations 'Year of the Earth'), mem- The Annual Dinner will be held in the lower library at the bership of many earth sciences societies, Geological Society from 7.30 - 10.00 pm following the AGM and including the GA, is either level or declin- Presidents Address. The cost will be £30 per person and the ing. One of the best things our members can dinner will consist of a hot buffet, two glasses of wine, and cof- do is to use every opportunity to tell peo- fee. ple about the GA and to invite people to Please send your booking to Sarah Stafford at the GA Office join. If you plan to visit a rock or miner- al show, or if you attend an adult educa- enclosing a cheque made payable to the Geologists’ tion class, do ask Sarah in the office to Association. Please be sure to book by 27 April and indicate if send you a bundle of GA flyers for distri- bution. you have any special dietary requirements. The number of If you have the energy to run a stall on places is limited. behalf of the GA at one of the shows, then do please contact Sarah in good time, so tioned before called 'Know your Earth'. In Assessment facing the Association espe- we can arrange for posters and other this we will arrange for students through- cially of a financial nature. A series of things to be sent out. out the country to go into schools and actions was agreed to mitigate or meet People sometimes think the GA, with its present talks about big earth sciences these risks which include consideration of office in London, is a monolithic enter- themes (e.g. climate change, dinosaurs, the web site, the location of lectures, prise that will carry on regardless. That volcanoes, energy reserves). These will where the Festival of Geology should be isn't the case, and we need constant be linked to posters promoting earth sci- held, publications etc. This is an on-going renewal and new ideas in order to keep ences as a career, and a website with discussion for Council, as reported in the going. In particular, we must maintain basic information suitable to different last magazine. There was much discus- our membership so we can continue our school key stages. We have generous sion of the role of the Proceedings and work of education and information. support from PESGB and from Shell and how its profile could be enhanced in terms Plans for the Sesquicentenary are mov- we hope to begin developing the materi- of content and impact. The breadth of the ing forward apace. Firstly, we are co- als as soon as possible. Should all go subjects that are covered in the sponsors with the Geological Society of well, I expect this will have a big impact. Proceedings is one of its great assets and the 'Local heroes' initiative which runs The third initiative is to devote at least many members want to keep in touch throughout 2007 and into 2008. If you one number of the Proceedings in 2008 to with the progress in geology but there is check the Local heroes website at a special theme. We thought at first of always the importance of achieving <http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/template.cf something historical, and that might still 'International Respectability'. m?name=Local_Heroes_Initiative>, you happen, but I am keen we devote one The Festival of Geology at University will find events every month this year, and issue to a theme in education - perhaps College was a great success with many in every corner of the country, from an looking at initiatives to introduce geology people attending. There were many event in Leicester in March to celebrate and earth sciences into schools in this entries for the photographic competition the discovery of Charnia and other country and elsewhere (maybe with a (see front and back covers). There were Precambrian fossils to a field trip in glance at the very active programmes in considerably more displays and stands Yorkshire in October to look at Quaternary North America, coupled with the inexpli- and there was a hum of activity in the geology, a one-day symposium called cable Mediaeval creationism in that Rockwatch area. The lectures were well 'Time Lords' in September in Edinburgh to land!). received and the field trips were well sup- celebrate the work of James Hutton and Our fourth initiative will be to find ways ported. It was agreed by all Council mem- Arthur Holmes, and a session in Bristol in to make the GA's remarkable archive of bers that congratulations were due, par- May on 'how volcanoes work'. Do support photographs (see page 11) more avail- ticularly to the organisers - Mrs Brown, events in your area, or if you have been able - a start might be to scan a few and Dr Kirk and Mrs Stafford but also to the contemplating offering an event, please put them on the web, and to see whether people of the GA and UCL who had given contact Joe Cann through the web site as that might be extended into a major so much. soon as you can. archival project. In view of the success of the Festival, The GA will be leading on at least four Of course all our usual activities - lec- there were suggestions that a Festival programmes of activity in 2008 to cele- tures, field trips and publications - will should be held at UCL every year. It was brate our sesquicentenary (and we are continue as usual.