PHOTO ESSAY: Scottish island Ailsa Craig is the granite source for Olympic curling stones
The island of Ailsa Craig, where the two types of granite, Common Green and Blue Hone, that are used to make curling stones is quarried from, is seen from the beach at Girvan, Scotland, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Ailsa Craig is an uninhabited isle off the coast of southwest Scotland and the source of the super-dense granite used to make curling stones for the Winter Olympics. It features both “common green” granite comprising the body of the stone and the “blue hone” granite that forms the running surface.
Local company Kays Curling makes all the the curling stones for the Milan Cortina Winter Games. It has a history with the Olympics dating back to the first winter edition in 1924 in Chamonix, France. Kays produces up to 2,000 stones per year and Canada is its biggest market. Asian countries have been increasing their orders.
A small boat carrying environmental officers heads towards the granite island of Ailsa Craig, Scotland, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A small boat carrying environmental officers heads towards the granite island of Ailsa Craig, Scotland, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
The lighthouse is seen from the small boat taking environmental officers to Ailsa Craig island, Scotland , Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
The lighthouse is seen from the small boat taking environmental officers to Ailsa Craig island, Scotland , Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Jim English, Kays Curling Managing Director, shows the amount of the mineral feldspar in a pebble of granite on the island of Ailsa Craig, off the coast of Scotland, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Jim English, Kays Curling Managing Director, shows the amount of the mineral feldspar in a pebble of granite on the island of Ailsa Craig, off the coast of Scotland, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A danger sign near the steep cliff and granite quarry on Ailsa Craig island off the coast of Scotland, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A danger sign near the steep cliff and granite quarry on Ailsa Craig island off the coast of Scotland, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Old quarry equipment rusts, with the lighthouse in the background on Ailsa Craig island, off the coast of Scotland , Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Old quarry equipment rusts, with the lighthouse in the background on Ailsa Craig island, off the coast of Scotland , Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Jim English, Kays Curling Managing Director, looks at a bolder of granite on the island of Ailsa Craig, off the coast of Scotland, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Jim English, Kays Curling Managing Director, looks at a bolder of granite on the island of Ailsa Craig, off the coast of Scotland, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Granite rock that has been used to create curling stone blocks lies outside Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Granite rock that has been used to create curling stone blocks lies outside Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Blue Hone granite blocks are prepared to be used as part of a curling stone at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Blue Hone granite blocks are prepared to be used as part of a curling stone at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A craftsman uses a stonecutting machine to slice Blue Hone granite blocks which are then used in curling stones at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A craftsman uses a stonecutting machine to slice Blue Hone granite blocks which are then used in curling stones at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Blue Hone granite is machine cut from block of the rock at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Blue Hone granite is machine cut from block of the rock at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A craftsman uses calipers to measure the amount of a curling sone that has contact with the ice, during a quality control phase at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant,)
A craftsman uses calipers to measure the amount of a curling sone that has contact with the ice, during a quality control phase at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant,)
Ailsa Craig common green granite curling stone blanks are dried under a heater as they wait further machining at the Kays Curling stone factory on Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Ailsa Craig common green granite curling stone blanks are dried under a heater as they wait further machining at the Kays Curling stone factory on Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A craftsman works on machining Ailsa Craig Common Green granite into the shape of a churning stone at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A craftsman works on machining Ailsa Craig Common Green granite into the shape of a churning stone at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Curling stones await further machining during being manufacture at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Curling stones await further machining during being manufacture at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A groove is made on a curling stone by a craftsman at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A groove is made on a curling stone by a craftsman at Kays Curling stone factory in Mauchline, Scotland, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Dog walkers stand on the beach at Girvan with the granite island of Ailsa Craig in the background in Scotland, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Dog walkers stand on the beach at Girvan with the granite island of Ailsa Craig in the background in Scotland, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
This is a documentary photo story curated by AP photo editors.
___
AP photography: https://badcopnews.com/photography