The History & Evolution of Quarrying

The use of stones has played a huge part in shaping human civilisations for centuries and the present is no different. Quarrying is the process of extracting stone from the earth for use as building materials or decorative items. In this blog we want to look at some different techniques that have been applied throughout history, with examples of some past civilisations and what they were able to create by extracting stone.

History in Quarry Techniques

The evolution of quarrying techniques throughout history can be broadly divided into three stages: The use of hand tools, the invention of gunpowder, and the development of modern machinery.

Hand Tools

In ancient times, quarrying was done entirely by hand using simple tools such as hammers, chisels, and wedges. These tools were made of stone, copper, bronze, or iron and were used to extract blocks of stone from the quarry. The process was labour-intensive and time-consuming, but it was the only method available at the time.

Example of using hand tools

Gunpowder

In the Middle Ages, the invention of gunpowder revolutionised quarrying. Quarry workers began to use gunpowder to blast rock, making it easier to extract large blocks of stone. This method was faster than using hand tools and allowed for the extraction of larger and harder stones. However, the use of gunpowder was dangerous and often resulted in accidents and injuries.

Modern example of using gunpowder

Modern Machinery

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the development of modern machinery such as steam-powered drills, excavators, and cranes greatly improved the efficiency and safety of quarrying. These machines allowed for the extraction of larger and harder stones and reduced the need for manual labour. Today, quarrying is done mainly by heavy machinery, including wire saws, diamond-tipped saws, and diamond wire cutting machines.

Quarrying is a modern, high-tech industry that utilises state-of-the-art machinery and advanced mining techniques to extract stone and other materials.

Example of modern machinery

Examples of Ancient Quarrying

Ancient Egyptians

We have all seen the great pyramids of Egypt which were constructed between 2550 – 2490 B.C. This grand feat of engineering used an estimated 2.3 million blocks of stone, that’s a lot of stone! It’s believed that they would cut these stone blocks using copper chisels and hammers, and then transport the blocks using ramps and pulley.

The Romans

Ancient Romans also extensively used quarrying to provide building materials for their civilisations. They extracted limestone, marble and travertine to build structures such as the Colosseum and the Pantheon. Roads were also developed by the Romans and would utilise quarry materials such as sand, stone and crushed stone.

They also used prisoners and slaves to dig underground tunnels and remove the stone. This could be been as the first iterations of mining.

Ancient China

Ancient China built The Great Wall which is still the longest man made structure in the world. The wall is 13,171 miles long and is entirely built from quarried stones.

It’s also believed that the Chinese developed techniques for drilling into hard rock using bamboo drills and water.

The Future of Quarrying

Sustainability and the environment are at the forefront of world issues right now and this is no different in the industry of Quarrying. As technologies continue to improve, so do our capabilities of mitigating the impacts that quarrying entails.

Advances in recycling and reuse technology are allowing for the recycling of construction materials, such as concrete and asphalt. This can reduce the demand for new materials and decrease the need for new quarry operations.

There is a growing trend towards sustainable quarry designs. We have seen improvement to the technical side of quarrying with 3D modelling, which allows quarry operators to optimise their designs. This can help to minimise any environmental impacts because of improved planning and designs. The use of green technologies such a including solar power, rainwater harvesting and other environmental management systems can also begin to play a huge part in making quarrying more sustainable.

Low carbon is very much a buzz word right now and we are starting to see this in the world of quarries. There are now options to reduce on-site carbon production with the use of electric and hybrid vehicles. These are currently more expensive to utilise but as the technology improves we expect to see these costs reduced in the future.

Drone are also becoming a regularity and can be automated to carry out site surveys. This can programmed to be completed daily without any human intervention and can improve efficiency in gaining data for quarries which means better, more informed decision making.