A large limestone find could yield tens of billions of dollars for the quarry’s operator, quite a profit on a $50 million potato field. Limestone is used in building, iron manufacturing, cement, concrete, mortar, and glass. Compared to other building materials, quarried limestone costs much less.
Environmental Impact and Industry Challenges
However, quarrying causes environmental issues like water contamination and air pollution. Large charges reduce areas of limestone to rubble, removed for crushed stone. The noise, dust, and impact from explosions can result in noise and dust pollution. Underground forces from blasts can cause sinkholes or change drainage and water quality of aquifers.
Dissolution can result in caves and sinkholes.
Quarried limestone neutralizes acidity, so it adds to soils or lakes.
Quarry Valuation and Workers
Market value is estimated by evaluating mineral resources, environmental factors, process, logistics and end-use specifications.
What is a quarry worker? Workers dig and process rock, slate, gravel, and sand.
Quarry Life Cycle
Quarries excavate below the water table and use pumps to stay dry. When mining stops, the pumps turn off, and quarries flood from cold groundwater.