Quarrying is the process of removing rock, sand, gravel or other minerals from the ground in order to use them to produce materials for construction or other uses. So, a quarry is any such working on the surface of the earth where minerals are extracted. Quarries are also known by other names around the world: ‘surface mine’, ‘pit’, ‘open pit’ or ‘opencast mine’.
Within the UK, the largest quantity of mineral extracted by quarrying is used for construction and known as “aggregates”(Quarrying, n.d.).
Quarries produce a variety of raw materials by extracting earth that will vary in contents according to geology and deposit type. Raw minerals are processed into product at processing plants where they become building and construction materials such as cement, concrete, asphalt, brick, stone, clay and plaster(What Is Quarrying?, n.d.).
Some of the minerals and materials produced by quarries are:
- Stone
- Sand
- Gravel
- Gypsum
- Salt
- Potash
- Coal
- Limestone
What’s a foundational material that people often take for granted, but is absolutely crucial in your industry? Share your thoughts below!
References:
- Quarrying, I. of. (n.d.). What is Quarrying? Retrieved May 28, 2025, from https://www.quarrying.org/about-quarrying/quarrying-explained
- What is Quarrying? (n.d.). Retrieved May 28, 2025, from https://www.quarry.com.au/Public/IQA/Extractive-Industry/What-is-Quarrying-.aspx
