Instituto Geolgico e Mineiro

MINISTRIO DA ECONOMIA

QUARRY EXPLOITATION OF ORNAMENTAL STONES

THE PORTUGUESE EXPERIENCE

Portugal as some experience in the ornamental stones exploitation

and in equipment production connected with this sector

The main production is centred in Granites, Marbles and

Sedimentary Limestone that are mined the first in the centre
and north and the second in centre and south of Portugal.
We have yet some quarries of shales using the old technology
garrafo (big bottle)- but with very little production.
The development of the quarries industry is now dependent of
the application and the coming in force of the new law published
last October.

Instituto Geolgico e Mineiro

MINISTRIO DA ECONOMIA

One of the main alterations in this law is the new

Quarry Plan that includes:
Geological surface mapping
Quarry exploitation plan
Environmental and landscape incidences,
proposed solutions and control systems
Landfill plan
Closure plan and the landscape integration

Instituto Geolgico e Mineiro

MINISTRIO DA ECONOMIA

This improvement in the law comes from the urgency to

modernise the old quarries with the integration of the
environmental questions and safety and environmental controls
and prevent, for the new quarries, the safety and environmental
incidences.
Looking at the ornamental stones types and exploiting methods
we will divide in two main sections:

Marbles and sedimentary limestone

Granites and similar rocks

Granites &Similars
Marbles & Sedim. Limes.

AREAS OF ORNAMENTAL STONES

Instituto Geolgico e Mineiro

MINISTRIO DA ECONOMIA

MARBLES AND SEDIMENTARY LIMESTONE OPPEN PIT

The Marble area is the most important industry in the ornamental
stones field and was studied with the propose of reserves
calculation and the possibility of underground mining.
In the biggest area of marbles occurrence the State Mining Service
made a exhaustive study with the finality of preserving the
resources and to give the necessary information for the
development of underground exploitation.
This study can have a big influence in the development
of the marble quarries
We know that the marble as yet good conditions at about 400
meters below surface
The methods used nowadays are the cut with the diamond wire
and the transport of the blocks and waste rock by a ramp with
dumpers or LHD machines.
The vertical haulage is falling out of use because it is slower
and more dangerous.

Instituto Geolgico e Mineiro

MINISTRIO DA ECONOMIA

GEOLOGICAL MAP OF MARBLES AREA

The steel-wire and sand is not anymore in use because the

very poor performance and the danger connected with the
length of the wire and the lack of signalling devices.
The cutting system with diamond-wire is used since we have
a free face to facilitate the movement of the rock.

Instituto Geolgico e Mineiro

MINISTRIO DA ECONOMIA

The evolution of the exploitation connected with the haulage

system produced one change in the methodology to access the
lower levels using the cut in ramp in such a way that it is opened
the free face and the access for equipment.

ACCESS TO EXPLOITING AREA

MARBLE QUAARY

The evolution of the exploitation connected with the haulage

system produced one change in the methodology to access the
lower levels using the cut in ramp in such a way that it is
opened the free face and the access for equipment.

Instituto Geolgico e Mineiro

MINISTRIO DA ECONOMIA

ACCESS AREA WITH RAMP

AREA OF THE RAMP

DETEAILS OF PERFORATION

ACCESS DRILING MACHINE

diameter 120mm

Drilling cutting system

Instituto Geolgico e Mineiro

MINISTRIO DA ECONOMIA

Development Scheme

11

10

A
9

A
B
The development of is made using the diamond wire to
cut the blocks with approximately 4 x 2 x 2 meters
The sequence and direction of the exploitation is
commanded by the existence of fractures and fissures
on the massif
The traditional system of access in the opening of the ramp is
the side of the quarry that has poor conditions of profitability
Now it can be made everywhere.

MARBLES - UNDERGROUND EXPLOITATION

The Environmental problems and the new laws about land

occupation are moving the owners or the marble quarries to
underground exploitation.
We have only a quarry that is using this methodology but
some studies are been conducted in the direction of this change.

The experience is not yet enough to present many problems

connected with this activity.

In any case the cost of underground exploitation got with this

experience is sufficiently attractive to suppose that it will
cover the environmental costs that with the evolution of the
exigencies of the surrounding communities will be each time
bigger.

UNDERGROUND EXPLOITATION

UNDERG. EXPLO. OPPENING

INSIDE VIEW

GRANITE AND SIMILAR ROCKS EXPLOITATION

Portugal has a good experience in granites production and

the exploiters try to use the best technologies in this field.
We can find quarries of all dimensions using more or less
up-to-date methods.
The normal method is the use of drilling to cut the blocks after
the opening of the free face using the explosive and placed in a
non usable area.

CUT MACHINE

DIAMOND WIRE CUT

HORINTAL PERFORATION

The normal way is to open the free face using the diamond wire
and separate the big blocks with explosive.
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL PERFORATION
FOR THE FREE FACE OPENING

VIEW OF THE QUARRY

CUTING SYSTEM

PERFORATION FOR
CUTING THE BLOCK

The operation is conducted:

Drill one vertical hole with 100/120 mm diameter in such a way
that they contact in the bottom
Introduce the diamond wire and cut all surface
At about 8 meters in the length of the front, repeat the operation
Drill horizontal and vertical holes with a pitch of about 20 cm
Blast with detonating cord and ANFO
Cut the big block into pre-commercial blocks with gunpowder

Tilt the blocks with a machine

Gunpowder cut

The transport of the blocks is made with dumpers to the store

near the cutting equipment to prepare the faces and to put them
at commercial dimensions
SHAPING MACHINE

The granite quarries operating in this conditions can reach one

efficiency of about 15% in total blocks but less than
10% in good quality blocks.
The waste rock is used for civil work purposes.

EXPLOSIVE PREPARATION

For the control of the power of the explosion nowadays the

charges are pre-prepared and adapted to the effect they want.
The size of the charges of ANFO and its spacing is calculated
using the the parameters connected with the rock type and
volume of the main bloc.
Although it is not evident all workers use cotton clothes to
avoid possible accidents with the explosives.

Safety and Environment in ornamental quarries

The bigger problem in quarries operation is:
- the control of environment problems
- the current of the public opinion
- the opinion of environment authorities about its
aggressiveness and of the unsafeness.

What can we do to change this opinion?

Really the operation can be dangerous, insecure and aggressive to
the environment.

But, we have solutions and we must apply them.

The operators must
Study the geological conditions in such a manner that permits to prove
the existence of the useful rock, the mineral reserves, the main structure
and the economical operation,
Study the main environment problems and the solutions to resolve or
mitigate them
Prove to the Environment that the solutions presented are effective
Make the risks analyse and the prevention measures
Instruct and inform the workers of all security and environment problems
and solutions
Prepare the solution and the way to finish the operation

Execute the project of the final restoration of the site

As an example
A storks nest near the granite quarry

The quarry exploitation has strong influence in the environmental

systems by the land use and the operation
The control of the operation and of the impacts resulting of quarrys
activity can minimise this influence

It is possible and we must exploit the quarries in

accordance with the nature and with its values.