Events & Courses

Time and location

Date: Wednesday 25 September 2024
Time: Venue opens and refreshments from 6.30pm, lecture starts at 7pm
Venue: Soiltechnics Ltd, Cedar Barn, White Lodge, off A43, Walgrave, Northamptonshire NN6 9PY

Event description 

'Northampton Ironstone: Geology, mining and legacy land' presented by Dr Matthew Hooper FGS and Ian Dunkley FGS

Northampton Sand Formation ironstone was deposited during the Middle Jurassic as an Ooidal limestone on a shallow marine shelf at the northern edge of the London-Brabant Massif, the Northampton Sand Formation extends from North Oxfordshire to North Lincolnshire. The formation contains berthierine, siderite and pyrite minerals forming the ironstone deposits, which have been extensively exploited since the mid-19th Century as a significant source of iron ore.

Exploitation was focused around Corby, Kettering and Northampton areas, where extensive shallow quarrying, latterly using giant dragline machines, and locally underground mining. This has left an extensive imprint on both the population demographic of local communities and an extensive legacy of geological, geotechnical and environmental risk that continues to be a challenge to the present day. 

The presentation will provide an overview of each of these aspects and the mitigation of the risks associated with them.

Speakers

Dr Matthew Hooper FGS 

After completing his geology PhD at the University of Leicester, Matthew Hooper joined Soiltechnics Ltd. as a geotechnical engineer involved in a wide range of geotechnical and geoenvironmental ground investigation projects for civil engineering and property development projects, including assessments of former opencast and sub-surface mines. As his career developed to Senior, Associate, then Director level, Matt also became increasingly involved in structural building fabric surveys, and he now leads this team at Soiltechnics.

Ian Dunkley FGS 

After an early career spanning corporate finance, dairy farming and shepherding, Ian joined Soiltechnics in 2013 'on the tools' as a fieldwork co-ordinator. He has worked his way up to a position of Director of GI South, completing a Land Management BSc along the way. He has participated in, planned and overseen numerous ground investigations for developers, landowners and Local Authorities. This includes many schemes on sites affected by the presence and exploitation of the Northampton Sand Formation, and he has extensive knowledge of the issues encountered and solutions applied. Ian is passionate that 'when ground investigations are scoped effectively, they are a valuable tool in managing ground related risks'. This certainly applies to land potentially affected by ironstone mining.

Registration

This event is free of charge to all members of the Geological Society Home Counties North Regional Group. Priority will be given to Fellows and Student Fellows of the Geological Society who are members of the Home Counties North Regional Group. 

Please book your places on a first-come-first-served basis by email to [email protected]

Please provide your membership number when booking your place.

Additional information

Accessing the venue

This lecture will be held at: Soiltechnics Ltd, Cedar Barn, White Lodge, off A43, Walgrave, Northamptonshire NN6 9PY

By Rail: The nearest station to the venue is Kettering Station (East Midlands Railway services), about five miles away. Anyone wishing to travel by train should let the HCNRG Secretary know by email with a view to arranging a lift for you to and from the venue by another attendee. Please email: [email protected] 

By Car: The offices of Soiltechnics Ltd. and Cedar Barn venue are in a small cluster of buildings at White Lodge, which is reached about half a mile down a private drive off the A43. The access drive off the A43 is on a gentle bend and is not signposted. There is plenty of free parking available at the venue.