The Clairwood Quarries complex is situated on the properties Mobeni 13538 (Subs 517, 518 and 2191), Lamont 845, in the Umhlatuzana valley. There were two quarries in the complex: one working sandstone (Natal series, Cape System) on Sub 518 (begun circa 1885, and buried beneath dumped decomposed tillite overburden during the late 1980s and early 1990s), and a deep pit in tillite (Dwyka series, Karroo System) on Sub 517, begun 1947. At depth, the tillite was intruded by a dolerite sill (Stormberg series, Karroo System). The pit on Sub 517 hosted all the minerals of interest. The quarry ceased operations in 1992, was flooded by 1994, and, at the close of the century, was being rehabilitated into a recreational area.
Refs.:
- Heron, H.D.C. (1985). Identification of Clairwood apophyllite as fluorapophyllite. Micro News and Views, 12(1).
- Heron, H.D.C. (1990/1991). A note on manganese dendrite and oxide masses from selected Natal localities. Micro News and Views, 17(1): 2-6, 17(2): 2-4.
- Heron, H.D.C. (1991). An occurrence of tabular calcite in a boulder at Clairwood Quarries, Durban, South Africa. The Spar Box 1(3): 5-8. [Reprinted in Micro News and Views, 24(4): 18-20 (1997).]
- Heron, H.D.C. (1991). A psilomelane-bearing assemblage from Clairwood Quarries, Durban. Micro News and Views, 17(4): 1-4 and 18(1): 1-4.
- Heron, H.D.C. (1992). Clairwood Quarries update. Micro News and Views, 18(3).
- Tschernich, R.W. (1992). Zeolites of the World. Geoscience Press Inc.: Phoenix
- Heron, H.D.C. (1994). Siderite assemblages from Clairwood Quarries, Durban, Natal. Micro News and Views, 20(2): 3-7.
- Heron, H.D.C. (1995). An occurrence pf partially overgrown "sandwich" calcite crystals from a tillite fissure at Clairwood Quarries, Durban. Micro News and Views, 21(3): 4-6.
- Cairncross, B. & Dixon, R. (1995). Minerals of South Africa. Geological Society of South Africa: Linden.
- Heron, H.D.C. (1996). The occurrence of apophyllite at five KwaZulu-Natal localities. Micro News and Views, 23(1): 3-6.
- Heron, H.D.C. (2001). Gypsum occurrences in four tillite quarries of coastal Natal. Micro News and Views, 27(2): 11-15. [Reprinted in S.A. Lapidary Magazine, 33(2): 11-18 (2001).]
- Heron. H.D.C. (2004). Barite occurrences at Clairwood Quarries in Durban, Natal, South Africa. S.A. Lapidary Magazine, 36(3): 5-25.
