Sunday stone

Sunday stone is an artificial stone composed of porous barium sulfate that formed on the walls of drainage pipes of some coal mines.[1][2] It is striped due to differing levels of coal dust produced during the day and night shifts.[1] In some cases there is a broader stripe generated every seven days due to active mining not taking place on a Sunday.[1] Broader stripes would also appear when work stopped for other reasons.[2] In one case a broad stripe was found to coincide with workers being given the day off to view a cock fight.[2] Breaks of more than a day would produce an even broader stripe such as when Christmas fell on a Monday.[2]

A piece of Sunday stone in the Natural History Museum, London

The Sunday stone would over time block the drainage pipes necessitating their replacement.[1] Where mines have improved ventilation, reducing the level of coal dust in the air, Sunday stone has ceased to be formed.[1]

References
  1. Pearn, John H; Gardner-Thorpe, Christopher (11 July 2013). "11 July 2013". Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 375: 269–278. doi:10.1144/SP375.22. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  2. Kennedy, Jim. "Sunday Stone". oum.ox.ac.uk. Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
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