What is The History of Quarrying, and what does the future look like?

Quarries have been used as a form of extracting natural stones, sands, and minerals for thousands of years. We have gained so much benefit from quarrying throughout our modern history. 

Understanding where its use came from and how it is likely to develop in the future can only be beneficial for our future. So, we’ll take a quick at its beginnings and future potential.

Where Did Quarrying Begin? 

When we look back through human history, utilising the natural resources around us has been a long-standing trend in human behaviour. Archaeologists have found basic stone tools as old as 2.5 million years. Showing that even at a formative stage of human development we could see the benefit in the rocks we saw around us. 

It’s hard to know exactly when humans began quarrying, but it’s been a long time. Many historic man made-structures have required quarries to make them a possibility. 

One example would be the great pyramids of Egypt. The huge monuments were built from huge granite and limestone blocks, each having been cut by hand at nearby quarries. This period being the generally accepted beginning of large scale quarrying.

How Will Quarries Be a Part Of Our Future?

Many of the materials we harness from quarries have been an essential part of our lives and life would not look the same had no quarrying or mining ever occurred. 

One of the biggest questions facing the quarrying industry, much like any other industry is: what does its future look like? 

One huge opportunity for the future is to look away from earth. The universe has a wealth of potentially useful materials that we could utilise in the future. With the growth of companies looking outwards at our solar system and beyond, could space quarries soon be a reality? 

Well, the race is already on. The expense of space travel is seen as no obstacle for several companies who currently looking to make this a reality. As it stands, at least to begin with it won’t be planets that we’ll be quarrying, it’s likely to be asteroids. This is due to their close proximity to Earth relative to any feasible planets. 

However, who’s to say that given time and technological advances we won’t be colonising planets far from our own and utilising their resources. It could well be that the quarrying industry plays a big part in the human race spreading out across the universe. Who knows where it could lead?

About Us

Here at William Thompson & Son, we provide businesses and private individuals with high-quality construction aggregate products. We are a business that is family and are focused on innovation as well as producing products that have as low an impact on the environment. 

We serve businesses all across Lanarkshire, from our quarry located in Dumbarton. 

Contact Number: 01389 762271 

Email Address: info@thompsonquarries.co.uk