Quarries

Quarries are sites where rock or mineral resources are extracted from near-surface deposits for industrial use. They are typically open-pit operations that produce construction materials such as limestone, sandstone, granite, marble, and aggregates like gravel and sand. The term is often distinguished from underground mining, as quarrying focuses on extraction close to the surface and aims to produce marketable rock blocks or bulk material.

Extraction methods vary by material and location but commonly include drilling, blasting to break rock, and earthmoving with excavators, loaders, and haul trucks. Rock is sized on site through crushing, screening, and sorting equipment before transport to processing facilities or customers. Some quarries also produce dimension stone, where blocks are cut for specific architectural uses.

Processing may occur on site or at nearby plants, turning quarried rock into aggregate, crushed stone, sand, gravel, or refined products such as concrete and asphalt components. Environmental controls often include dust suppression, water management, and waste rock handling.

Quarrying can impact ecosystems, watercourses, air quality, and landscapes. Regulations typically require site assessment, permitting, and ongoing monitoring, with restoration plans filed and funded to restore vegetation, water features, or repurpose sites for parks, flood protection, or other uses.

Quarries have long been central to construction and industry, providing raw materials for buildings, roads, and infrastructure. The history of quarrying spans ancient masonry to modern extractive industries, with notable sites such as marble or limestone quarries shaping regional economies.