A quarry is a mineral extraction site that doesn’t require tunnelling or a roof. This is because materials mined during quarrying are close to the earth’s surface. Even still, quarries have to be dug very deep, with the largest one running 120km into the ground.
Key fact: In the UK, around 50 million tonnes of quarry fines are produced every year
Because of this, quarrying requires heavy equipment. Stripping and drilling equipment, like crawler tractors and blasthole drills, remove overburden so that mineral deposits can be reached. This dirt is then moved away by heavy-duty wheel loaders, some of which have a 35 ton bucket capacity.
Meanwhile, rock trucks are used to transport the extracted material for processing, and have 3,500 horsepower engines and a 3600 ton hauling capacity. Crushing equipment also plays a vital role, using powerful jaws to crush the extracted material into the finished product.
Benefits
Produces vital materials for construction
Safer mining operations
No limitations on heavy machinery
