This 2.5m column is the negative of a shaft into the ground, and represents the industrial mining that was present within the Bolton area. On the outside of the column, the layers of Bolton's geology are proportionately represented using the results taken from the core sample around 1880 from the Doffcocker Colliery. Not only are the varying layers shown, but also included is the fault which runs through Bolton, starting from the Irish Sea and traversing south to the Potteries in Staffordshire.
Flowing and ascending around the outside of the layered column are two lines of slate. This is pertinent in two respects. Firstly the slate represents the human interaction with the environment by mirroring the double helix in the human DNA. Secondly the top layer of Bolton's geology is shale. Shale could not be used within the work as it is far too brittle and would not endure the weather and building processes, but slate, being a harder and more compact version of this mud residue, is ideal.
