Selection of Site for Quarrying of Stones.

Engineers and contractors have to keep following factors into consideration

while deciding about the location of a quarry site.

(i) Availability of sound rock: A quarry can be opened up only where a

sound rock that can yield good quality building stones exists in the
considerable area.
Once opened the quarry should be able to supply the stones for quite a few
years. The stone must be available in large quantity and must be of uniform
quality.

(ii) Distance from the areas of construction: Quarrying is commonly a

commercial operation. The quarry must not be located far away from the area
where constructional activities are going on.
In such a case when it is located far away, the cost of transport of stone from
the quarry to constructional sites may become too heavy.

At the same time, a quarry must not be located very close to a town because
quarrying operations are full of hazards. This becomes especially important
when blasting method has to be used for quarrying of stones.

(iii) Distance from main roads: Stones extracted from a quarry have to be
transported to the nearby towns and cities. Naturally, the quarry must be
located near to the main network of roads leading to those towns and cities.
Otherwise, longer approach roads will have to be constructed that will add to
the cost of haulage of the Stone.

(iv) Availability of water and dumping space: In quarrying operations,

considerable man power is employed. Water is an important necessity for the
work force. It must be available in sufficient quantity near the quarry site.
Similarly, quarrying operations involve a lot of breaking of different types
of rocks all of which are not useful for building construction.
Such waste rock or refuse has to be dumped on one or other side of the
quarry, so that main quarry face is not blocked.

The required dumping space should be easily available near the quarry.
(v) Another factor is drainage system: Ground water and surface water
have to be quickly drained. It should be possible to provide adequate drainage
at the quarry site.
Sites for Stone Quarrying:
The selection of site for a quarry of stones should be done after studying carefully
the following aspects:
(i) Availability of tools, power, materials and labour for the easy and efficient working of
quarry;
(ii) Availability of site for the dumping of refuse and avoiding health hazards, if any;
(iii) Distance of quarry from roads, railways, sea coast, etc. and proximity to the
transportation facilities;
(iv) Drainage of quarry pit;
(v) Easy availability of clean water in sufficient quantity all the year round;
(vi) Economy in quarrying;
(vii) Facility of carrying and conveying stones from quarry;
(viii) For quarrying by blasting, absence of permanent structures in the nearby area;
(ix) Geological data regarding rock formations at the site;
(x) Quality of stone available from quarry;
(xi) Quantity of stone likely to be obtained from quarry;
(xii) Results of trial pits; etc.