DESIGN AND OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS OF HARD ROCKAGGREGATE

QUARRIES
Author: Partha Das Sharma, B.Tech(Hons.) in Mining
Engineering,E.mail:sharmapd1@gmail.com,
Weblog: http://miningandblasting.wordpress.com/

1. Introduction:
Aggregates are the building blocks of our world. Often quarries are dismissed as holesin the
ground but, in reality, without quarries we could not build our homes, schools, offices,
shops,hospitals, airports, roads and the infrastructure of our power and water systems.The
dictionary definition of aggregate is a rock, such as basalt, granite etc., consisting of a mixture
of minerals. There are three major sources of aggregates: loose stones like sand and gravel;
recycled materials; and solid rock like basalts, granite we quarry. Specifically, aggregates are
defined as: Agranular material used in construction. Aggregate may be natural, manufactured or
recycled.Natural aggregates account for a large proportion of minerals extracted domestically.
There are two main types of natural aggregates:

Crushed rock
comprising: (a) Sedimentary rocks, created by the settlement of sediments (such asgritstones);
(b) Igneous rocks which are solidified molten rocks (such as basalt or granite); and
(c)Metamorphic rocks created by heat or pressure (such as quartzite).

Sand and gravel

These are naturally occurring granular deposits that are found either on land or on theseabed.
They are mostly loose, shallow deposits that have been spread over outcrops of solid rocks bythe
action of ice, water or wind. They are usually found in existing or historic river valleys, however,
theymay also occur in older, consolidated bedrock.Aggregates will continue to be an important
resource as population growth and infrastructure demandsincreases.

2. Hard Rock Quarry

: Quarrying in hard rock deposits usually requires different techniques to thoseemployed in
working generally unconsolidated sand and gravel deposits. However, many of the
generalconsiderations for a quarry project are essentially such as,

establishing a viable resource, determiningthe available area for development, assessing volumes
of waste, overburden and other allowances,identifying the requirements for excavation, haulage
and processing plant etc., remain similar. There areseveral specific areas in which different
assessment and design requirements are necessary for a hardrock quarry.Hard rock quarries can
basically be defined as those where it is not possible to excavate the quarrywithout some degree
of primary fragmentation of the rock. This primary fragmentation is necessary toreduce the rock
mass to a particle size that can be dug from a loose pile. It generally be achieved bydrilling and
blasting in most circumstances, but depending on the degree of weathering and fracturing of the
rock mass, it might be achieved by ripping using a dozer or a combination of ripping and
blasting aswell.Hard rock quarries normally include excavations in sedimentary, metamorphic
and igneous rock types.In each rock type the general principles are similar in the design of the
quarry, the phasing andscheduling of operations and the restoration of the workings. There may
be some differences inprocessing arrangements, but these are normally a function of the quality
of the material being quarriedand the required product specification.Working hard rock quarries
is generally a more complicated and intensive process than quarrying sandand gravel. Typically,
costs are higher since technological issues have a greater bearing on the methodsof excavation
and the types of plant that can be used. Often, one of the overriding concerns in thedesign
process is the operating cost - a function of the quarry scheduling arrangements and
plantselection.Because of the investment required in opening and operating a hard-rock quarry,
they generally wouldbe expected to have a longer life than sand and gravel quarry. As such initial
resources will often need tobe greater, even though production output may be similar to sand and
gravel operations.Relative to sand and gravel operations, hard-rock quarries normally have very
little waste (in the form of overburden) and typically have low overburden stripping ratios. This
can lead to problems in restoration.
3. Site Requirements
: Hard rock quarries generally take one of two forms
Hill-side quarries characterised by a general downward haulage of excavated material fromthe
quarry area (up slope) to the processing plant (lower down the slope); or,

Open-pit quarries where quarrying workings are generally below the level of the
processingplant and excavated material is hauled up and out of the pit.Hill-side quarries may
often become open-pit quarries once the level of excavation has reached, andsubsequently
extends below, the quarry plant area. The choice of whether a hill-side or open-pitoperation is
contemplated is usually dictated by the site topography, ownership boundaries,
geologicalstructure and environmental considerations.
4. Quarry design considerations
: Several key issues relating to the initial assessment of a proposedquarry site are:

Confirmation of suitability of quality of quarried products for use;

Initial estimates of resource quantities; and