Open cast mining at Dorey's Farm

About a mile and a half south of Wareham is this massive opencast mine.

Underground clay mining in Purbeck ceased more than a decade ago.  There are several opencast mines, this being relatively new.  Once the mine has been exhausted, the overburden - i e topsoil - will be returned and the site landscaped so as to be "restored" to heathland.  (The irony of the "restoration" is that most of the site was pasture land before mining began.)

Here ball clay is mined, a product of great importance to the pottery industry, particularly in the manufacture of toilet bowls.