Geology Fieldwork – The Lizard & Kennack Sands

The Lizard (unique suite of oceanic rocks not normally seen on the land surface). The rocks at the Lizard are part of an ophiolite – a piece of oceanic crust that has been uplifted onto continental crust. When the rocks of the Lizard were formed around 400 million years ago, the area was completely submerged by water. The area of what is now Cornwall was at that time a divergent plate margin and new igneous rocks were being created as two oceanic plates moved apart at a spreading ridge. As the plates moved apart, molten rock rising up from the mantle filled the space created and cooled to form new oceanic floor.

Kennack Sands; cross cutting relationships; peridotite, serpentinite, gabbro, basalt and Kennack gneiss.

BOTH  ‘A’ Level and GCSE.

The Lizard / Kennack Sands are a 50 minute drive from St Ives by coach.

Free