Types of Rocks Extracted from Quarries

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary purpose of quarrying ornamental stones?

For constructing buildings

For extractng crushed stone for cement production

For obtaining specific colors, sizes, shapes, and qualities of stones (correct)

For roadbase production

What type of stones is often used in road construction?

Gypsum

Marble

Granite

Sand and gravel (correct)

What is the term used to describe the extraction of stones for construction and decorative purposes?

Quarrying (correct)

Mining

Drilling

Excavation

What is a common application of crushed stones?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of ornamental stones?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What is a method of quarrying small and soft pieces of stones?

Digging Signup and view all the answers

Which method is suitable for extracting stone when the natural rock bed is horizontal and has a small thickness?

Heating method Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the wedging method in stone extraction?

To exploit natural fissures in hard rock Signup and view all the answers

Which technique involves the controlled removal of stones using explosives?

Blasting Signup and view all the answers

In the blasting process, which aspect is critical to its success?

The line of least resistance Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following methods would NOT typically be used to manage extraction from hard rock with natural fissures?

Heating method Signup and view all the answers

To create artificial fissures in rock during extraction, which method is primarily employed?

Drilling Signup and view all the answers

Which process is essential for ensuring that the explosives reach the desired effectiveness in blasting?

Preparing the drill holes accurately Signup and view all the answers

Which extraction technique uses heat to manage the removal of stones?

Heating method Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of transporting waste rock to special dumps?

To isolate it from the ore to prevent contamination. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes quarrying from other types of mining?

Quarrying involves the removal of rock from open pits, while other mining methods involve underground excavations. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of ornamental stone?

High porosity and permeability, allowing for easy absorption of water. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of heap leaching or dump leaching?

To extract valuable minerals from low-grade ores that are not economically viable to process conventionally. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a key difference between quarrying and mining?

Quarrying focuses on extracting stones for construction, while mining targets valuable minerals. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Types of Rocks Extracted from Quarries

Common materials include chalk, china clay, coal, construction aggregate (sand and gravel), granite, gypsum, limestone, marble, phosphate rock, quartz, sandstone, and slate.

Quarrying Operations

Quarrying falls into two main categories:
- Extraction of ornamental stone: Involves precise production procedures for blocks of specific color, size, shape, and quality.
- Quarrying for sand, gravel, and crushed stone: Focuses on producing materials for road base, cement, and concrete.

Methods of Quarrying

Digging: Suitable for quarries with small and soft pieces of stone.
Heating: Used for natural rock beds that are horizontal and thin, making removal easier.
Wedging: Applied to hard rocks with natural fissures. If none are present, artificial fissures are created by drilling holes.
Blasting: Employs controlled explosives to remove stones. The line of least resistance is crucial in this process.

Steps in Blasting Process

After loading, waste rock is transported to specific dumps while ore runs to a mineral processing plant for further treatment.
Some high-quality ore may be shipped directly without intermediate processing.
Separate dumps may be created for various grades of sub-ore material, which can be re-mined and processed later.
Certain dumps can undergo treatments to extract contained metals via heap leaching or dump leaching.

Definition of Quarrying

Refers to removing stones from their natural beds using various operations.
Classified as a type of open-pit mining where dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, sand, gravel, and slate are excavated from the ground.