Stages of Operating a Stone Quarry: From Exploration to Land Restoration
Operating a stone quarry is a multi-stage process. Review exploration, planning, benched extraction, haulage and restoration of the land.
Quarrying and extraction
Dust Control in Quarries and Crushing Plants
Stone dust affects worker health and the surrounding area. Learn the main dust sources, misting and extraction, haul road control and protective equipment.
Dust is an inseparable part of working with stone, but controlling it is a safety and environmental requirement. Very fine crystalline silica particles can cause serious lung disease, so reducing dust is first of all about people’s health.
Main sources of dust
- Transfer points on conveyors and screens
- Crushers and feed tipping points
- Trucks moving on dirt roads
- Stockpiles exposed to wind
- Drilling and blasting
Ways of controlling it
| Method | Where used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Misting and water sprays | Crushers and transfer points | Fine droplets use less water |
| Covers and enclosures | Conveyors and screens | Contains dust at source |
| Extraction and filters | Enclosed plant points | Suits dry products |
| Road watering | Quarry roads | Must be regular |
| Lower drop heights | Discharge points | Cheap and effective |
Slowing the trucks
Haul roads are usually the biggest dust source in a quarry. Regular watering, speed limits and maintaining the road surface achieve a lot for little cost.
Protecting people
After engineering controls, suitable respirators and filtered-air cabs are the next layer of protection. Monitoring respirable dust shows whether these measures are enough.
The link with quality
Dust management helps product quality too, because less dust means less fine coating on particles. See the general stages of quarry work in Operating a stone quarry.
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