Rock Quarry Research Articles

Petrographic of limestone cultural heritage as the basis of a methodology to rock replacement and masonry assessment: Cartagena de indias case of study

Cultural heritage assessment and restoration around the word is an issue of main interest, in which destructive and non-destructive tests are usually undertaken to make diagnosis and evaluate material mechanical properties. Since interventions are often limited due to high costs, lack of highly specialized staff and even excessive caution of the competent authorities, it is common to have a lack of information about the cultural heritage material mechanical properties, with a consequent uncertainty about the adequate rock replacement and their masonry mechanical strength.In this perspective, the present research has taken as a case of study the defensive wall of Cartagena de Indias (UNESCO cultural heritage since 1984), introducing a petrographically based approach comparing fifteen limestones samples from five quarries and twelve structure samples. Firstly, is proposed a further step on improving the selecting rock criterion for replacement, identifying the main structure and quarry rock petrographical parameters, Bioclasts, Porosity, and Sparry Cement, and presenting a pyramidal scheme to be used in the replacement process. Subsequently, a new indicator was introduced for all rocks, and related to quarry rock uniaxial compressive strength (UCSR), identifying thus the possible structure UCSR range.Finally, knowing UCSR range, the uniaxial masonry mechanical strength range (UCSM) for the study case is calculated by referring to the 2018 Italian Technical Standard (NTC, 2018 [1]).

New Estimation of the Post Little Ice Age Relative Sea Level Rise

The study area is located in NW Sardinia Island (Italy), Mediterranean Sea. Sardinia is considered stable since the late Pliocene with a negligible subsidence of about 0.01 mm/y. It is therefore normally used to reconstruct the Pleistocene and Holocene sea level curves. Our research focusses on the sea-facing city of Alghero that from 1353 to 1720 was under the Spanish government. During this time, the city was renovated and new buildings edified. Dimension stones were quarried all around Alghero both in the nearby inland and along the coast. Coastal quarries were considered the most suitable for both rock quality and the easiest way to transport the quarried material by boat. The quarried rocks are late Pleistocene dune and beach sandstones deposited from the 132 ka (Marine Isotopic Stage—MIS5) to about 65 ka (MIS4). Sandstones crop out from few cm to 3 m above the present sea level and underwent several consolidation processes related to loading and marine weathering. This latter favoured dissolution and circulation of calcium carbonate which cemented the rocks. It is reported that the Spanish were looking for these “marine” sandstones for their high geotechnical characteristics. Different rules were adopted through time for the size of the dimension stones and this has allowed us to establish a quarry exploitation chronology. For example, “40 × 60 × 20” cm was the size of the dimension stones used for the Alghero Cathedral dated at 1505–1593. Nowadays most of the coastal Spanish quarry floors are 30 centimetres below mean sea level (tidal range is 30 cm). Accordingly, we infer that relative sea level from 1830 AD (and of the Little Ice Age) rose in about 200 years to the present level at the rate of about 1.4 mm/y. Considering that relative sea level rise during the Medieval warm period was of 0.6 mm/y over a period of about 400 years, we may deduce that human influence was strong enough to lead to a relative sea-level rise faster and in shorter time.

Endangered species protection and evidence-based decision-making: Case study of a quarry proposal in endangered turtle habitat

Surface mining practices can negatively impact turtles through degradation of wetlands and surrounding upland habitat, alteration of movement corridors, increased risk of nest and turtle predation, and direct mortality. These impacts, in turn, can cause changes in sex ratios and population demography, which may ultimately lead to population declines and extirpation. Using radio-telemetry, GPS data loggers, and capture-mark-recapture surveys over two field seasons, we described the demography of, and identified critical habitat for, a population of endangered Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) inhabiting an area of interest for development of a trap rock quarry in Ontario, Canada. We captured 56 turtles and estimated population size to be 80±18 turtles, and density to be 1.84 turtles/ha, which is among the highest reported densities for the species. Daily distances moved and home range sizes were generally smaller than conspecific values reported in the literature, suggesting that habitat quality was high as turtles did not need to move much to acquire necessary resources. We identified 15 nesting sites and 12 wetlands that housed overwintering turtles, both considered by government to be critical habitats with lowest tolerance to destruction. We mapped our spatial data based on the application of legislated provincial and federal recovery guidelines, and the results indicate that the quarry proposal should be rejected if the spirit of the law is upheld given that at least 63% and at most 100% of the proposed quarry area is categorized as endangered species habitat.

Urban geology: Mississippian on the main street

Exposures of fossiliferous rocks in quarries and on coastlines may be locally common, but some of us are too far removed to see them on a regular basis. Yet fossils may be just around the corner, quite literally, in an urban environment. Fossils in building stones may be well exposed and include specimens of well‐known groups rubbing shoulders with the more obscure. But you have to get your eye in to identify these 3‐dimensional objects exposed in two dimensions.

Linear and nonlinear earthquake location approaches in a case study overview

Several seismic events are calculated by an iterative, linear algorithm relocated in a nonlinear, grid-search with a maximum-likelihood hypocenter method. The same simultaneous events separately registered by regional and local seismological networks have also been used. A verified 1D (one dimensional) velocity crustal structure model is used in both methods and in all datasets for better comparisons. Some rock quarry blasts registered by the local receiver stations as ground truths are examined by both methods. This study's main objectives were: (i) to carry out a comparative examination of the error estimates in both techniques and (ii) to generalize location assessment of the permanent low-density regional network in Central Alborz. The regional network operates under Iranian Seismological Center and its seismic data are massively applied. To reach the research goals, the dataset–method correlation matrix and the location variables were statistically processed. It was shown that the estimated earthquake epicenters by the linear and nonlinear methods are approximately similar for well-located events in each network. For dense-proper distribution of the seismic stations, the elliptical error estimates have lower amounts and consequently the seismicity pattern is more reliable. The difference between subsurface seismicity patterns resulting from the above-mentioned approaches in the studied area is presented. Some depth calculation errors for the same recorded events are higher in the regional network. The correlation comparisons demonstrated that the nonlinear approach and the locally-constrained data may be closer to reality and more convincing. The nonlinear application is more plausible due to all of the possible solutions and less elliptical error estimates under the Gaussian distribution assumption. Subsequently, the combination of the nonlinear method, proper location criteria, and appropriate crustal velocity structure can effectively improve some of the earthquake location estimates in the regional catalogue. As a result, this procedure can be useful in seismicity concept evaluations.

Stability of Rubble Mound Breakwaters—A Study of the Notional Permeability Factor, Based on Physical Model Tests

The Van der Meer formulae for quarry rock armor stability are commonly used in breakwater design. The formulae describe the stability as a function of the wave characteristics, number of waves, front slope angle and rock material properties. The latter includes a so-called notional permeability factor characterizing the permeability of the structure. Based on armor stability model tests with three armor layer compositions, Van der Meer determined three values of the notional permeability. Based on numerical model results he added for a typical layer composition one more value. Based on physical model tests, the present paper provides notional permeability factors for seven layer compositions of which two correspond to the compositions tested by Van der Meer. The results of these two layer compositions are within the scatter of the results by Van der Meer. To help determination of the notional permeability for non-tested layer compositions, a simple empirical formula is presented.

Rocky relationships: the petroglyphs of the Murujuga (Burrup Peninsula and Dampier Archipelago) in Western Australia

The petroglyphs of the Murujuga (Burrup Peninsula and Dampier Archipelago) in Western Australia are of exceptional cultural value for the nation. It is Australia’s largest and most significant collection of aboriginal rock art essentially as petroglyphs, with the number estimated at more than one million engravings. The Murujuga is a textbook example of ancient and modern times colliding as it also hosts potentially polluting, major industrial complexes such as iron ore and salt ports; liquefied natural gas, liquid ammonia and ammonium nitrate plants; railway lines, pipelines and rock quarries. The work presented in this paper is underpinned by an annual monitoring study of 10 selected sites including two control sites located on Dolphin and Gidley islands and eight test sites located closer to the industrial areas. The main rock types of the Murujuga, gabbro and granophyre, have been affected by weathering consisting of a cm-thick leached zone capped by a skin of orange and red iron and manganese oxides. The petroglyphs were engraved by removing the few top millimetres of the iron oxide-rich layer and the contrast with the paler leached zone clearly showing the carved motifs. Phosphorus is abnormally enriched in the leached zone and the surface coating, with manganese exclusively on the surface coating, demonstrating the impact of bird droppings and ‘desert varnish’ on the rocks. The colour difference and the hematite–goethite ratio, measured with a field portable reflectance spectrometer, between the background and engraving provides a tool to estimate the relative age of the petroglyphs and the selection of the backgrounds. As the fine-grained granophyres were preferentially chosen from the coarser-grained gabbros to host the petroglyphs, the goethitic (or yellower) backgrounds were prepared as canvas before being engraved. Many petroglyphs register the food items of the area, which changed as the last ice age ended and sea levels rose. We hypothesise that based on their locations and colour difference the constraint for the oldest age of the petroglyphs exceeds 17 000 years BP.

Comparison of wastewater treatment efficiencies in packed bed bioreactors according to the nature of materials

Due to over-exploitation, river sands are less available in certain areas. Other materials are substituted for use as packing materials, e.g. crushed aggregate resulting from the quarrying of massive rocks is considered a potentially suitable material. However, the real impact of this substitution on water treatment efficiency are not mastered because all available works was carried on small scale pilot and only during the first step of colonization. The present work compares the purification efficiencies of two river sands (RS1, RS2) and two crushed aggregates (CA1, CA2) using backed bed bioreactors over a 360-day operating cycle. The total suspended solids (TSS), organic removals and ammonium removals display similar removal rates except for the coarse river sand. The total nitrogen removal is limited for all materials. Statistical analysis indicates that pollutant removals mainly depend on both grain size (effective size: D10) and the size uniformity coefficient (UC). Furthermore, a low D10 and UC also favor the presence of an anoxic environment and may improve denitrification. The crushed aggregate, as a potential substitution for river sands whose deposits are becoming depleted, may provide similar treatment functionality, namely suitable pollutant removals and biomass support.

Aggregate supply in Hong Kong: past, present and looking to the future

Hong Kong is one of the most densely developed and populated places on the planet, with a population density of just under 7000 people per km 2 and over 300 buildings with heights greater than 150 m, more than 90% of which used concrete as their main structural material. The nature and scale of this development means that aggregates from local hard rock quarries have formed an essential construction material for the development of the territory. However, the small area of Hong Kong (1104 km 2 ), its lack of readily developable land and increasing public concern on the impact of quarrying have led to the rehabilitation and closure of most local quarry sites over the last 20 years. The decline in local aggregate supply caused by this has resulted in an increasing reliance on aggregate imported from elsewhere, with associated implications in terms of supply, cost and quality control. Quarry closure has also reduced Hong Kong's readiness to process and reuse good-quality rock generated by construction projects. To combat these issues, a detailed review of the short- and long-term aggregate supply strategies for Hong Kong was conducted, including a territory-wide search for potential new quarry sites together with assessments of the feasibility of integrating other aggregate sources in the supply chain such as underground quarrying and the use of recycled aggregate.

Development Program to Estimate the Suitable of Raw Materials to Produce Cement

Raw material composition plays an essential role on the lining life of cement rotary kiln.They are obtained from hard rock quarries that represent the first step in the cement manufacturing process. That raw materials are transported to Al- Kufa cement plant then crushed and ground to very fine powder and then blended in the correct proportions.This research aims to study suitable rations of raw materials to produce cement in al Kufa cement plant in Iraq. Through a software program, suitale raw materials ratios for the clinker were estimated, then chemical and physical tests for clinker and cement according to Iraqi Standard Specification were done to recognize the effects on the properties of cement such as the ratios of major and minor oxides, Lime saturations factor (LSF), Silica Modulus (SM) Alumina Modulus (AM), compressive strength, setting time and soundness. Keywords: Portland Cement, Raw material, Cement industry, Rotary kiln and Factors Affective of clinker DOI : 10.7176/CER/11-1-06

The role of a bentonitic layer on slope stability in bedded limestone: the case study of the December 2004 Ca' Madonna Quarry rock slide (Umbria-Marche Apennines, Central Italy)

This work describes and analyses the December 2004 rockslide that affected the working face of the Ca’ Madonna quarry (Municipality of Urbania, Province of Pesaro and Urbino, Italy), where limestones are extensively quarried for aggregates. The landslide occurred along an unsurveyed, approximately 10-cm thick clayey intra-bed layer that mainly consists of smectite-group clayey minerals. Laboratory analyses indicate that it is very active and shows a high capacity to absorb water until reaching a swelling pressure of up to 1200 kPa. Mining activities reduced lithostatic load and facilitated rainwater infiltration down to this bentonitic layer, which led to fully softened conditions with a resulting severe reduction in the shear strength parameters. Under such conditions, the slope stability back-analysis was performed by the limit equilibrium method, considering a planar rock slope failure with tension cracks and with different water level heights. The results show that a small increase of water pressure was sufficient to exceed the factor of safety. Stratigraphically, this layer can be correlated with the Lower Campanian Bentonitic Layer already reported in other sites of Central Italy. Therefore, the potentially great spatial extent of this layer and the possibility that the reported conditions may occur in other similar settings, make it important to identify its presence in order to prevent analogous situations.

Conceptual development of the transition from drill and blast excavation to non-blasting methods for the preparation of mined rock in surface mining

This article is devoted to the conceptual development of the transition from drill and blast excavation to a non-blasting method for the preparation of hard rock before excavation at construction material deposits. The scientific and technical literature on the problems in the blasting of hard rock in preparation for excavation is analysed. A classification of mining equipment for the non-blasting development of a rock mass for excavation has been developed, taking into account the nature of the operation of mining equipment. The concept of the transition from drill and blast excavation to nonblasting methods in the preparation of mined rock in non-metallic material quarries is presented. The research results of the parameter determination of the elements of the system for the development of non-blasting equipment at a limestone quarry are presented. The economic efficiency of a hydraulic excavator with a ripper tooth for developing limestone with a strength of up to 30 MPa is established.

Functionalities Analysis of Hand Crushed Chippings From Ngeta and Akia Rock Quarries in Lira District, Uganda, East Africa for their Suitability as Surfacing Materials for Low Volume Traffic Roads in Lira And Neighboring Districts

Abstract In Uganda, Only few kilometers of low volume traffic roads can be sealed in a financial year due to low IPF for road maintenance and this makes hand crushing of the chippings possible as only a small quantity will be required. Before any chippings are used as a surfacing material, it must be analyzed for its functional suitability and also to reduce cost, the haulage distances should be short. Hand crushed samples from the above quarries were taken and analyzed for their suitability. All the parameters analyzed except a few for Ngeta were within the permissible limits.

Restoration of soil-vegetation cover and soil microbial community at the Pechurki limestone quarry (Leningrad region, Russia)

Abstract Due to a significant increase in mining activity and subsequent ecosystem disturbances, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how degraded, unproductive quarries can be converted into new, self-sustaining communities that develop into natural environments. Former limestone quarry was investigated with aim to determine the best reclamation practice for surfaces of former lime rock quarries. Effects of spontaneous succession and forestry reclamation restoration approaches on vegetation and soil features were studied. The study was conducted in one of the largest limestone quarries of the Leningrad region, south taiga region. Species composition and vegetation cover were estimated for different plant communities within each ecotype of the quarry. Also soil characteristics were evaluated at each plot. We found that the main differences between plots were due to their position in the landscape; the most similar communities colonize similar ecotypes. On flat landforms, biodiversity is reduced under biological reclamation. At the sites under spontaneous succession, the level of biodiversity increases. In terms of biodiversity conservation and economic benefit, spontaneous succession is preferable to forestry reclamation for the restoration of carbonate substrates. After examining CO2 emissions from the quarry as a result of weathering of carbonates and soil respiration, as well as the level of CO2 sequestration from the atmosphere, we show that the establishment of certain landscape forms within former quarries can help to reduce atmospheric CO2.

Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Soils from Farms in the Vicinity of Durumi Quarry Site in Mpape, Abuja Nigeria

Seasonal concentrations of eight total and bioavailable heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Cd, Zn, Mn, Ni, Pb an Fe), along with some physico chemical properties of soil in vegetable farms around the rock quarry in Durumi, Abuja was assessed to know the level of heavy metal pollution of the soil. Control and actual soil samples were collected from depths of 0.0 -5.0cm and 5.0 - 10.0cm during dry and rainy seasons. Heavy metal concentrations varied inconsistently in samples and control. Dry season levels of Zn(5.20mg/kg), Mn(19.44mg/kg), Ni(1.69mg/kg) and Pb(4.56mg/kg) and rainy season levels of Zn (0.26mg/kg), Pb(22.53mg/kg) at soil depth of 0.0 - 5.0cm, and dry season levels of Zn(1.19mgkg) and Ni(1.62mg/kg) along with rainy season levels of Cr (0.44mg/kg), Cd (0.06mg/kg), Zn(0.09mg/kg) and Fe(6.74mg/kg) at soil depth of 5.0 -10.0cm were all higher in samples than controls. However, seasonal mean total heavy metals in the soil samples were lower than the Maximum Allowable Limits (mg/Kg) for World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). During dry season, heavy metals that indicated anthropogenic content, had anthropogenic levels that ranged in the order: Cd(16.67%) < Cu(54.17%)

New testing methodology for the quantification of rock crushability: Compressive crushing value (CCV)

Crushing is a size reduction process that plays a key role in both mineral processing and crushing–screening plant design. Investigations on rock crushability have become an important issue in mining operations and the manufacture of industrial crusher equipment. The main objective of this research is to quantify the crushability of hard rocks based on their mineralogical and mechanical properties. For this purpose, the mineralogical, physical, and mechanical properties of various hard rocks were determined. A new compressive crushing value (CCV) testing methodology was proposed. The results obtained from CCV tests were compared with those from mineralogical inspections, rock strength as well as mechanical aggregate tests. Strong correlations were found between CCV and several rock and aggregate properties such as uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), the brittleness index (S20), and aggregate impact value (AIV). Furthermore, the relationship between the mineralogical properties of the rocks and their CCVs were established. It is concluded that the proposed testing methodology is simple and highly repeatable and could be utilized as a pre-design tool in the design stage of the crushing process for rock quarries.

The use of cement treated reclaimed asphalt pavement-quarry waste blends as highway material

ABSTRACT Massive highway reconstruction work being undertaken by Federal Road Maintenance Agency in Nigeria generates large volume of reclaimed asphalt pavements waste while the quarrying of rocks to provide material for pavement construction also generate large volume of quarry wastes. This paper present results of the laboratory evaluation of the characteristics of cement stabilised reclaimed asphalt pavements-quarry waste blends with a view to determine its suitability for use as flexible pavement material. The mixtures were subjected to British Standard light (standard Proctor) compactive effort to determine their compaction characteristics and California bearing ratios. Test results show that the properties of reclaimed asphalt pavements waste improved with quarry waste and cement treatment. The maximum dry density increased as the optimum moisture content decreased with higher quarry waste and cement contents in the mixes. The optimum California bearing ratio values of 48% (unsoaked) and 76% (soaked for 24 hours) were recorded for 70% RAP + 24% QW + 6% C mix. The optimum mix satisfied durability requirements with insignificant water absorption and can be used as sub-base material in flexible pavement construction. Further work may be encouraged to assess resilient modulus of this material under cyclic load.

Evaluation of limestone quarries for concrete and asphalt production: a case study from Ankara, Turkey

Ankara is the capital city of Turkey which is currently flourishing, and there is an increasing need of an aggregate for concrete and asphalt production. The main aggregate requirement of Ankara is provided by the quarry sites named Eski Kibris and Yeni Kibris. The purpose of this study was to determine the chemical, petrographic, and engineering properties of these quarry limestone and to evaluate the determined parameters in concordance with aggregate standards. The uniaxial compressive strength of the samples which are taken from Yeni Kibris and Eski Kibris limestone quarries is in the range between 67.8 and 102.2, and 62.9 and 127.30 MPa, respectively. Yeni Kibris quarry limestone samples are mainly medium-high strength with medium-average modulus ratio and some samples are high strength with medium-average modulus ratio. Eski Kibris limestone samples are medium-low strength rock with a medium-low modulus ratio. Both mine limestone samples are mainly biomicrite. Micro-cracks are filled with large euhedral calcite crystals and iron oxide (in certain samples), which are indicative of a small extent of weathering. The geochemical analysis of samples from the quarry sites of the Eski Kibris and Yeni Kibris shows that the MgO content is less than 1.4%. The total amount of the compounds Fe2O3, Al2O3, SiO2, and MgO is between 1 and 2%. The amount of Fe2O3 is less than or equal to 0.82%, indicating a very low content of clay minerals or iron minerals in the rocks. The Al2O3 content is less than 0.1% and this is meaning that the clay content is less than the desired limit for aggregate quarries. The CaO content is between 55.1 and 55.4%. CaCO3 concentration is greater than 98% in both mines. Chemical contents (MgO, CaO, SiO2, Fe2O3, Al2O3) of both mines are compatible with aggregate standards. Both rock quarries are found to be suitable for aggregate production with respect to the relative density, water absorption, high resistance to freezing and thawing, and abrasion resistance. There are no indications of material which could cause alkali silica reaction at both rock quarries. This study showed that both limestone quarries are suitable for concrete and asphalt production.

Sustainable exploitation of mafic rock quarry waste for carbon sequestration following ball milling

Mineral carbonation has been proposed as a safe method for carbon capture and storage (CCS). Mafic lithologies are among the most promising rocks for mineral carbonation due to their high content in Ca, Fe and Mg-bearing silicate minerals, which react with CO2 to form stable carbonate phases. Here, we discuss the potential of using waste material from mafic rock quarries for CCS, following the ball milling process. In contrast with other mineral carbonation strategies, the proposed use of quarry fines (<75 µm) could eliminate some of the cost associated with the extraction and grinding of the source material, making the whole methodology more economically and technologically viable. Potential applications include the use of ball-milled mafic rock quarry fines (i) as feedstock for ex situ mineral carbonation, and (ii) as nano-additives in replacement to the binder, for the production of environmentally-friendly building materials with potential ability to sequester CO2. Both applications could substantially contribute to the mitigation of atmospheric CO2 concentrations over the next few decades, as well as to the upturn of the quarrying industry in many European countries that have abundant mafic lithologies, such as in Cyprus and Hungary.

Empirical model for probabilistic rock stability on flat beds under waves with or without currents

An empirical formula was developed for predicting the stability of isolated quarry rocks on relatively flat beds under waves with or without current in terms of the damage ratio. The damage ratio was examined using 100 crushed stones (median mass M50 = 293 g and mass density ρs = 2.62 g/cm3) as scale models of quarry rocks and replicas with a lower density (ρs = 1.38 g/cm3) by placing them on beds of different roughness in a wave flume, not only under periodic waves with periods of 2–3.5 s, but also in symmetric and asymmetric oscillatory flows (periods: 8–12 s), simulating waves without and with current in a circulating water channel. Comparison between hydrodynamic forces expressed in terms of three non-dimensional mobility indices: the maximum velocity, maximum semi-velocity amplitude (Ua), and maximum acceleration relative to the friction force (expressed in terms of the median coefficient of friction) suggested that the damage ratio was most closely related to the Ua-based mobility index (ψ2). Nevertheless, significant differences remained between data from the wave flume and circulating water channel tests. The variation in the damage ratio, which included the effects of the oscillatory-velocity asymmetry, oscillation period, superimposed steady current, mass density of stones, and bottom friction, was reasonably well described via the product of ψ2 and a function of a Keulegan–Carpenter number. The results of the field tests on quarry rocks (with M50 = 2.04 t) placed on a thin sand layer overlaying hard substrate show that the minimum stable mass is consistent with the prediction.