At GZ there is a War Memorial statue and some plaques along the wall nearby. This Earthcache is based around the statue. You can visit this area 24/7, however, you will need to park nearby and walk to GZ. (Be careful of double yellow lines).
Here is some supporting information - Only some of which is relevant to help you answer the questions - The remainder is there to educate (and maybe distract) you...
This war memorial is built from a distinctive type of natural stone. Your task is to study the stone closely, compare it to the geological information provided, and determine which rock type the memorial is made from. You will need to examine the colour, texture, mineral grains, and any dark inclusions you can find on the surface.
Granite is a hard, durable igneous rock formed when molten rock cools slowly deep underground. This slow cooling allows large crystals to grow, giving granite its characteristic speckled appearance. It is commonly used in monuments because it resists weathering and retains sharp detail for centuries.
How Granite Is Composed
Granite contains three main minerals:
- Quartz – light grey or translucent grains
- Feldspar – white or pinkish rectangular crystals
- Biotite or hornblende – dark, almost black flecks
These minerals interlock like a mosaic. The dark flecks are natural mineral inclusions, not stains, and often appear as small patches or flakes a few millimetres across. Biotite forms at high temperatures, so its presence tells us the granite cooled slowly enough for large crystals to grow. Biotite crystals become trapped within the granite as it solidifies. Because they are darker and softer than quartz or feldspar, they stand out clearly as black flecks or patches. These inclusions are natural and not a sign of damage. Hornblende indicates that the original magma contained more iron and magnesium, influencing the final colour and texture of the granite. Hornblende crystals are often larger and more irregular than biotite flakes. When you see a dark inclusion that looks elongated or chunky rather than flaky, it’s likely hornblende.
Syenite is another coarse‑grained igneous rock that looks similar to granite but contains little or no quartz. It often appears warmer in colour, with more pinks, creams, or greys. It is sometimes used in architecture where a granite‑like appearance is desired.
How Syenite Is Composed
Syenite is dominated by feldspar, giving it a smoother, less sparkly look than granite. Dark minerals such as hornblende may be present but usually in smaller amounts. Because it lacks quartz, syenite has a slightly more uniform texture.
Gneiss is a metamorphic rock formed when existing rocks (often granite) are subjected to intense heat and pressure. This process reorganises the minerals into bands or stripes, giving gneiss a layered appearance.
How Gneiss Is Composed
Gneiss contains alternating:
- Light bands of quartz and feldspar
- Dark bands of biotite or hornblende
Unlike granite’s random speckling, gneiss has a directional, striped structure.
Questions
- What type of rock has the memorial been built with? Explain why you think this?
- There are a number of notable Black marks in the stone - a particularly distinctive one is rear, low. Estimate the width of this mark and explain what you think caused this?
- In the surrounding brick flooring, how many mental gutter grates are set in the floor?
- (Optional) Photo of yourself / your caching ID at GZ
Please send me your answers before logging the cache as found.
If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would just ask that you could let War Memorials Team know first at [https://warmemorialseries.co.uk/](https://warmemorialseries.co.uk/) so they can keep track of the memorial numbers and names to avoid any duplication.
Created with input/support from Wikipedia & Copilot