Rafford War Memorial was unveiled in 1919 and features the names of soldiers who died in World War I and World War II. It is an obelisk of pink granite and features a carved stone wreath.
Granite is an igneous rock formation that formed as molten magma cooled and solidified deep underground during the Carboniferous period, 300 million years ago. The slower the magma took to cool, the bigger the crystals appear in the finished product. If it cooled quickly, the crystals appear smaller. Chemical phase is another factor that can alter crystal appearance.
Crystal size is a clue into the history of a rock. The presence of larger crystals tells us that it spent longer underground in its formation, away from the cooler air of the surface. These are known as intrusive rocks. The surface might remind you of a speckled bird's egg. Some of the "dots" may be hard to pick out, or be massive in comparison!
The "mix" of quartz, feldspar and mica in the final product is the cause of the wild colour variations you can see in the granite range.
Granite can be thought of as a solid lump, which reduces overall weaknesses, and makes it a popular choice for building material.
To log this EarthCache, please email me (or message using Geocaching.com) answers to the following. Logs without the accompanying email/message may be deleted in time but feel free to log the cache before my reply!
1) Examine the memorial, its carvings and legibility of the text. Are they in good or poor condition, bearing in mind the obelisk is 97 years old?
2) In your opinion, is this due to it's placement or choice of building material?
3) Are all crystals within the granite a similar size or does the memorial have some larger ones? (Hopefully the sun will be shining to help!)
4) From your observations, what could you assume about the cooling process?
5) The presence of what gives this granite its pinkish colour?
6) OPTIONAL: Post a photo of your GPS at GZ.