Student Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date ___________
There were once twelve quarries near Sleeps Hill. They produced crushed rock that was used for
aggregate and sand in a variety of constructions around Adelaide. Some of the quarries can be seen
in the satellite image below,
which also shows the two
locations (A and B) at which
we will enter the park.
Today the quarries form part of
a reserve managed by the
Mitcham Council. At several
locations, interpretative signs
describe the Geology of the
area and describe the quarrying
operations.
The map on page 2 shows the
layout of the quarries and the
walking trail. We will visit two
sections of the walking trail.
We will walk a little way along
the track from the High Street
entrance to the Reserve. Then
we will return to the bus and
travel to the Mead Street
entrance to continue our
exploration.
Satellite Image of Sleeps Hill Quarries
1
How many quarries can you see in the above satellite image? __________________________
2
Draw rings around these quarries to indicate their locations.
2
Safety Rules
Wear a hat and sturdy shoes and apply sunscreen even during winter months.
Carry food and drinking water.
Weather conditions can change quickly. Ensure that you wear and bring appropriate clothing.
Keep to the paths and stay with the group, or you may get lost.
Do not climb the quarry faces. They contain loose boulders that may fall on you!
Note that there are no toilets at the site.
Our Two Walks in Sleeps Hill Quarries
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
3
Refer to the above map for the locations of features numbered 1, 2, 3 etc.
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
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Walk I (From High St.)
From the entrance to the reserve we will walk along the trail to the lookouts at locations 1, 2 and 3
on the map on p2. These lookouts give excellent views of the whole quarry area.
Location 1
From this location we can see across the valley to the quarries on the far side. Some of these quarry
faces are shown on the photograph below.
1
Add lines to the photograph to show the bedding planes that are visible on the quarry face.
2
Use the map on p2 to identify the quarries that are:
3
a.
Immediately below us ____________________________________________________
b.
Facing us on the far side of the valley ________________________________________
What probably formed the valley that lies between our present position and the quarries we
can see from here?
___________________________________________________________________________
4
Explain why this steep valley provides a very good location for developing stone quarries.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5
How do you think the tight folding of the rocks might affect the profitability of the quarries?
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
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Location 1a
The boulder shown in the adjacent
photograph has been placed here.
1
a.
In what year was the
boulder placed here?
______________________
b.
What event does it
commemorate?
______________________
2
What Mitcham Council activity is probably also commemorated by this boulder?
___________________________________________________________________________
3
Describe the boulder’s rock type in terms of:
a.
Texture _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b.
Minerals it consists of ___________________________________________________
c.
Weathering that is occurring _______________________________________________
d.
Process of formation (igneous/sedimentary/metamorphic).________________________
Location 2
1.
Use the map on p2 to identify:
a.
the quarry immediately below us. _______________________________________________
b.
the quarry opposite us on the other side of the valley. ________________________________
c.
the quarry further along the path from where we are standing. _________________________
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
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Location 3
As the photograph below shows, this location provides an excellent panoramic view of the overall
fold patterns of the rocks in the quarries.
1
Look for any anticlines or synclines in the rocks opposite you. Mark and label their positions
on the above photograph.
2
On the photograph, trace the location of a part of the single overturned fold illustrated in the
diagram below.
3
a.
Describe one way in which the quarry faces you are looking at differ from the faces of
modern quarries.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
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b.
Suggest a reason why quarrying processes have changed from those used when these
quarries were working.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
c.
Explain why modern quarrying methods are more destructive to the environment than
those that were used at Sleeps Hill.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Location 4 (Quarry J)
The quarry face to your left contains both quartzite and slate, showing that the quarrymen were
forced to extract rock that was no use to them, as well as the rock they wanted.
1
Complete the blank face of the above photograph by marking and labelling areas of quartzite
and likely areas of slate on the quarry faces to your left and right.
2
Mark and label another quarry face on the photograph.
3
Use the map on p2 to suggest which quarry or quarries this face may belong to.
___________________________________________________________________________
4
On the photograph, mark and label the position of a fault that shows up in the quarry face
We will now return to our transport and drive to another part of the quarry.
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
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Walk 2 (From Mead St.)
The first part of this walk is around the tops of the quarries on the far side of the valley from the
walking trail from where we have just been.
We will then walk down to the valley floor and a little way along it.
Location 15
1
Name the quarry we are
looking at from this point.
_________________________
2
Name the structure that is
exposed in this quarry.
_________________________
3
On the photograph, mark and
label the axis of this structure.
Location 16
1
Name the features seen on the
far side of the steeply dipping
beds on the far side of the
quarry.
_________________________
2
What information do these
features provide about the
conditions under which the
original sediments were
deposited?
_________________________
___________________________
3
What do you think is the approximate distance between the crests of the ripple marks?
___________________________________________________________________________
4
Add a scale to the photograph to indicate the approximate size of the area covered by the
photograph. We will walk along to location 17, to see some more structures, then retrace our
steps to location 13 and walk down to the valley.
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
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Location 11 — Quarry A
Look around near the entrance to quarry A, for a rock outcrop that looks like the photograph below.
1
State, giving reasons, whether this rock is the quartzite that was extracted from the quarries.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2
Describe the following features of this rock:
a.
Its Colour _________________________
b.
Its grain size __________________
c.
Is it a hard rock or a soft rock? _____________________________________________
d.
Describe as much evidence as possible that indicates whether or not strong pressure has
acted on this rock.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3
State, giving reasons, whether this rock would be a useful stone for building or any other
purposes.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Just inside quarry A, there are some ripple-marked rocks that have fallen down the quarry face.
4
Sketch a ripple-marked boulder in the space provided on the next page.
The width of this page is 20cm. Label your diagram to show the approximate size of the
boulder and the distance between the crests of the ripples (their wavelength).
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
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The Incline Railway
1
Suggest the purpose of the incline
railway whose track is shown in the
adjacent photograph.
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
_______________________________
2
Name some energy sources that may
have been used to provide power for the
railway.
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
_______________________________
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
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Location 23 — Quarry D
The adjacent photograph shows
an outcrop of slate by the path that
leads into quarry D.
1
Describe the changes to the
flat face of the rock that
have occurred since it has
been exposed to the air.
2
What do these changes tell you about the usefulness of this rock as a building stone?
_______________________________________________________________________________
3
Examine some of the powdered material that was originally below the hard outer surface of
the rock. Describe it, and suggest what it might be.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Walk into the quarry and look at the rock face that is visible above the trees.
4
a.
What feature do you notice on one part of this rock face that is just above the trees?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
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b.
Fill in the blank area in the photograph below to show the pattern formed by the rock
layers inside this area.
c.
What is this feature called? ________________________________________________
d.
Mark on the photograph the boundary between two rock types you can see on the quarry
face.
e.
Write on the photograph the names of the two rock types.
f.
Compare the hardnesses and resistance to weathering of the two rock types.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Start walking back along the path. Take the right turn to location 8. As you walk along, look for
evidence that the slate was an unwanted by product of the quarrying activities.
________________________________________________________________________________
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
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Location 8 — Ruins of Crushing Plant
The photograph above shows the crushing plant as it was in its heyday. Below are two photograph
showing all that is left of these extensive treatment plants.
1
Suggest reasons why this location was selected for the treatment plants.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet
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2
Why were such strong foundations needed for these plants?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3
Why is there no longer any evidence of the other buildings and facilities/
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
That is the end of the excursion. Walk back up the hill to meet the bus on Mead Road.
What Do You Think?
1
Write about a paragraph describing an aspect of the geology and/or mining history you saw
that you found interesting. Your paragraph should include the reasons why you found it
interesting. Add any diagrams that would improve your answer.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2
Suggest some ways in which you think the excursion could be improved.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
TESEP Sleeps Hill Quarries Excursion, May 2013
Student Worksheet