THE rocks and minerals of Furness have played a long and vital role in the growth and development of our towns and villages.

Limestone, copper and iron ore are among the natural materials which have prompted the digging of mines and quarries over the centuries

It is perhaps not surprising that people took an interest in the conditions which gave such variety to Furness and the wider areas of Lancashire and Cumbria.

The Furness Geological Society grew out an O-level study class at Barrow Sixth Form College around 30 years ago, which was led by lecturer Dave Kelly.

The Society began monthly meetings at Dalton Castle and organised visits to interesting sites in Furness and further afield.

Monday, September 25, will see the first meeting in a new season.

Members and visitors should meet at Dalton Castle for 7.30pm. All are welcome.

The first talk is by David Fellows and is called Whangarei, Northland: New Zealand’s Zone of Geological Chaos.

It will provide a look at one of New Zealand's richest areas of geological diversity.

It has everything from volcanoes and fault lines to a rich legacy of limestone extraction and even gold, silver and mercury mining.

The mercury, or quicksilver, mine at Puhrpuhl started production around 1910 and found its output in great demand for making explosives during the First World War.

Matakohe-Limestone Island was worked for limestone products from 1857 by Yorkshire’s Henry Walton and from the 1880s the island was making cement.

A spokesperson for the society said: “We couldn't get much further away from Furness than to visit New Zealand but in addition to Whangarei's volcanic history, like Furness, the Limestone was very important to the growth of the town - which has a similar population to Barrow.”