Rocks
A great variety of rocks form the foundations of the landscape of Northern Ireland, moulded to its present form by the action of rivers, sea and ice. The Ulster Museum collections contain thousands of rock samples found in Ireland and beyond.
Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary rocks include those composed of eroded pieces of pre-existing rocks, as in sandstone, and others precipitated from water, as in limestone. Pictured left: Layers of sandstone and pebble conglomerate on the shore at Cushendall, Co. Antrim. Pictured right: White limestone...
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Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rocks are formed by the effects of great heat and/or pressure on sedimentary or igneous rocks. Examples of metamorphic rocks include marble, formed from limestone, and slate, formed from mudstone. Pictured left: Intensely folded marble, originally limestone, Co. Donegal.
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Igneous Rocks
Igneous rocks are formed by cooling and solidification of originally molten material. Examples of igneous rocks include the basalt lava of the Antrim Hills and Giant's Causeway, and the granite which forms the Mourne Mountains.Pictured left: Basalt columns, formed by cooling and shrinkage of molt...
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Building Stones
Many different types of rock have been used as building stone in Northern Ireland, from simple buildings to the grandest corporate or civic structures. The Ulster Museum contains examples of many of these, both local and exotic. Pictured above: The Ulster Museum, faced in Portland Ston...
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