Quarry Products

Quarry products are essentially divided into categories based on their key end use. Each product is produced with certain physical characteristics to ensure its suitability for the intended end use, in accordance with specifications and standards, which are either set nationally or by an individual customer. The source rock type must also be suitable for the intended end use, i.e. the inherent physical and chemical properties of the rock proposed for use as a quarry product. 

There are four (4) basic categories:

Rock Products:

  • Armour stone
  • Gabion and mattress rock

Aggregates:

Can be a single sized material or a graded aggregate consisting of a blend of single sized aggregates

  • Ballast
  • Drainage materials
  • Concrete and asphalt aggregate

Base Materials:

  • Fills (structural, general purpose)
  • Unbound pavement materials (road base)

Sands and Crusher Dust:

  • Natural and manufactured (coarse and fine)

The key end use products include:

  • Concrete
  • Asphalt
  • Unbound pavements
  • Rail ballast
  • Armour rock


  For a comprehensive Glossary of Quarrying Terms CLICK HERE.

How are Quarry Products Produced?

In order to meet specified Particle Size Distribution (PSD) requirements of the end-users specifications, raw materials are reduced in size and graded to ensure consistency. This is typically achieved though Crushing and Screening. The selection of the types of crushers to be used will depend on multiple factors such as geology, raw feed, productivity, and end user specifications.

A Jaw Crusher is typically used as a "primary crusher" in reducing raw feed to maximise the productivity of secondary crushers. A compression crusher, typically used as a "secondary and tertiary crusher" in reducing raw feed to a size and gradation suitable for screening or additional crushing. 

Screening is the process of mechanically grading materials to achieve a desired fraction of the materials introduced. This fraction will be "cut and sized" using screens made of woven wire in unbound pavement production.