With more
than 2000 active quarries
in the UK that produce a
range of materials, the mineral industry still provides thousands of jobs and
contributes billions of pounds each year to the UK’s economy. From Scotland to
Cornwall, quarries are located all over the UK, and without them, we wouldn’t
have the raw materials such as stones, gravel and sand which are needed for
construction. In fact, it should be recognised that in order to maintain our
modern way of living, quarries provide the basis for many modes of transport
and basic necessities such as sewage systems - without them, life, as it is,
would be very different.
But what
exactly is quarrying, and how do they work? For a little more insight into this
industry, this blog will provide an informative guide.
What is quarrying?
Quarrying is
the process of removing natural resources such as rock, sand, gravel and other
materials from the ground, so they can be used in construction and other
similar projects. In the UK, the majority of materials that are extracted are
used for construction - these are known as ‘aggregates’, a broad category of
medium-grained materials that are washed and sorted by size before being sold.
When did quarrying begin?
In the UK,
quarrying has been documented in as early a 14th-century construction. However,
in other areas of the world such as Ancient Egypt and Rome, quarrying was the
most used process for building the great pyramids, colosseums, roads and
housing. In Ancient Rome this job would have been assigned to criminals and
slaves - a very dangerous job which often resulted in death for those involved.
Without the equipment we have today, quarrying was done using home crafted
tools such as hammers, chisels, picks and manpower, making the process a whole
lot longer and riskier.
One of the
most famous stone monuments in the UK is Stonehenge, and for archaeologists and
geologists, how the stones were placed in their arrangement is still somewhat
of a mystery. It is widely believed that the bigger stones were brought down
from Malborough Downs, nearly twenty to thirty miles north while the smaller
‘bluestones’ originate from several sites around Western Wales, as far as 180
miles - with each stone weighing tonnes, it’s still puzzling to this day how
they were moved by hand. Theories suggest that the stones were hauled by hand,
across the sea or moved by glaciers.
What is the difference between a quarry and a
mine?
Quite
simply, a mine is defined as underground working and a quarry is a site of
extraction that doesn’t contain a roof - however, outside of the UK mining and
quarrying are used interchangeably. Additionally, quarries are principally used
for the production of raw construction materials or those needed to make
resources such as ready-mixed cement and concrete. Mines on the other hand
generally produce smaller quantities of more valuable materials such as coal,
fertiliser materials, metallic ores, nickel and gold.
Gravel, concrete and
sand: Materials that quarries manage
Quarries
produce aggregates such as gravel, sand and crushed rock. These are usually used
in road-making materials, concrete, cement, brickworks and pipe works. Types of
rock that are extracted include:
● Coal
● Clay
● Salt
● Slate
● Limestone
Why do we need quarries?
You may not
realise, but the materials that are produced by quarries are essential for our
everyday lives. For thousands of years, man has relied upon stone for
construction and today is no different. Early on, stone was the perfect
material for building castles, walls and churches, and during the industrial
revolution, the use of new technology and improved transport links meant the
demand for quarrying could be met.
Nowadays the
materials supplied by quarries are needed for improving our roads, building
housing, shopping centres, schools, hospitals and ongoing maintenance of these
structures.
Here at W M Thompson & Sons, we
specialise in a range of natural quarry products ready to be used in
construction and infrastructure. From gabion stone to recycled crushed stone,
each is available in a size of your choice in our Glasgow and Lanarkshire
quarries.
The pros of quarrying
As well as
the importance that quarrying has for the construction industry, it can also
benefit us in many other ways.
● Employment -
at
a local level quarrying provides new jobs for those living nearby. From working
on extraction to transporting materials, there are a number of important roles
that need to be filled. Over 30,000 people are employed in quarrying and
related industries in the UK.
● Restoration -
period
buildings and historical landmarks can often only be repaired using the
original building materials. Most of today’s landmarks, for example, are made
of limestone, and the only way we have access to this is through quarrying.
What is the quarrying process?
Depending on
the type of aggregate being quarried, the process may vary, however, generally,
quarrying follows the process below.
Step 1:
Naturally occurring materials are
determined by the geology of the area, so a quarry needs to be placed in this
vicinity as well as areas that have good transport links for moving materials
out of the quarry. Well before any quarrying begins, extensive plans will need
to be established to ensure the quarry does not have a negative impact on the
local community and environment.
Step 2:
The manual quarrying process may
begin by gathering samples from the area, to make sure the raw material is
suitable for use. The stone is then polished to determine it’s quality and
colour.
Step 3:
Once this has been approved, material
extraction can start. This is done by breaking large chunks of rock or surface
area using explosives to loosen materials.
Step 4:
Materials may then be transported to
another area where they are crushed to reduce the size and make them easier to
transport. This process is then repeated to reduce the size again, and each
rock is sorted into similar sizes and impurities are removed.
Step 5:
After this, the materials are
transported to customers and plants requiring gravel for sale. This could be
used on building sites, labouring jobs or sold in commercial stores.
What happens to disused quarries?
When sand
and gravel is extracted from quarries, a large water-filled pit is often left
behind. If properly managed and made safe, these areas can be reused as
valuable habitats for water creatures or made into leisure lakes. Stone
quarries, on the other hand, can be reclaimed as racing tracks depending on
their size.
In many
cases, the fate of a quarry is discussed even before extraction takes place, as
a quarry application may request a proposed rehabilitation plan. However, there
is a time limit imposed on land extraction so companies cannot work
indefinitely - they are also required to reinstate the land to a state that can
be used for other purposes.
W M
Thompson & Sons: Affordable gravel prices and other quarry services
W M Thompson
& Sons, based in Glasgow, is the family-run quarry catering to a diverse
range of clients. Our flexible services mean we can supply aggregates at short
notice and in bespoke loads, so your project doesn’t need to be on hold. We
also provide reliable waste disposal solutions for large amounts of waste that
cannot be recycled. For more information get
in touch.
