Field Investigation and Experimentation of Expansive Mortar in Dimension Stone Mining

Abstract

Nature has blessed Pakistan with huge reserves of dimension stone that are mostly extracted through conventional mining methods. Different mechanized techniques have been tested and some give propitious results but failed to get popularity in the dimension stone sector of Pakistan. One such attempt is made in this work and a non-conventional method expansive mortar (EM) is introduce into this sector, to reduce the waste and cracks that are produced during conventional mining method (drilling and blasting). The results proclaim that expansive mortar efficiently reduced waste production and increased productivity. Through conventional method 470 MTs economical blocks were extracted from a block of 10758 cubic ft, earning $1121.95. In contrast, expansive mortar was applied to a block volume of 6750 cubic ft, in which economical blocks extracted were weighing 489 MTs, earning $5766.46. These encouraging figures replicate more than five-time increase in profit and high reduction in waste production.