Features

Reprocessing overburden into a saleable product is helping to increase revenue and reduce storage issue in some European quarries. Many quarries have significantly more overburden than can readily be used for landscaping or for restoration purposes. But stockpiling material on site can block access to reserves, while dumping it elsewhere can be costly, which is why some quarries are investing in a bid to reuse this 'waste' material.

Water filtration systems from Wier, Fraccaroliand CDESuppliers of water filtration and recovery equipment are installing ever more sophisticated plants and there is more to come as a number of factors drive forward technological developments. Jon Masters reports If there is a standout characteristic of water treatment to be observed in aggregates sectors, it is its very bespoke nature of a highly variable kit of parts. This may sound like stating the obvious, but there is a direct relevance to this in how d

Fuel efficiency is driving modern engine development but it was demand for more power that drove early innovation. Claire Symes takes a look at the advances at Deutz with a visit to the company's museum. The names Daimler, Maybach and Bugatti may all be synonymous with luxury, high powered cars today but the men behind these names all got started in the engine industry through a common link - Deutz. All three, along with Rudolph Diesel, worked with the founders of Deutz - Eugen Langen and Nicolaus August Ot

With construction levels at a 20 year low following the global recession, the Danish aggregates business looks set to return to growth. Construction is one of the largest industries in Denmark, with one in four workers in the private sector being employed in it at some level. But in common with countries around the world, business and employment took a sharp tumble from its peak in 2007/2008 and is now at its lowest since the early 1990s..

Tamrock is a name that is synonymous with rock drilling today but without the work of Matti Kilpinen it might have been a different story. ABE reports. Today the brand name Tamrock is closely associated with rock drills but it hasn't always been the case in terms of name, even if the company's focus on innovation has remained unchanged.

Site operatives are at their most vulnerable when on foot in the quarry. ABE takes a look at some initiatives and techniques to improve visibility and minimise the safety risk

Machine design has significantly improved the safety of operatives while accessing and using quarry equipment but they are still highly vulnerable while out of that environment. Ensuring staff can be seen is as important as educating operatives to be self aware of the potential risks of crossing the quarry floor on foot.

Austria-based Michetschläger has just acquired its first mobile crusher. ABE takes a look at the use of the DSB Innocrush 30 on site

Many quarries that have traditionally used static plants to meet the demand for aggregates are now looking to mobile equipment in place of investing in direct replacements. One of the latest quarries to take this route is Michetschläger based near the town of Eberstalzell in Upper Austria.

Onerous red tape is one of the significant challenges to operating quarries in Malaysia. ABE takes a look at the difficulties faced by the Cheras granite quarry

All quarries face legal, environmental and health and safety hurdles in order to operate but the challenge faced by Malaysian quarries is particularly onerous. According to Hanson-Heidelberg Cement group northern and central Malaysia regional director Chris Landry, operating in the Malaysian industry involves considerable red tape.

Economics and politics seem to be the main influencers of the UK aggregates industry at present. Adrian Greeman reports

The dominant issue affecting the UK aggregate industry is, unsurprisingly, the economy and the impact of the credit-crunch. That for the moment has pushed into the background various other issues including new environmental controls, the possibility of devolved planning bound up in the general election and the development of transport.

The debate continues to rage on the best way to benchmark the cement industry for phase three of the EU Emissions Trading System. Robert Camp looks at the arguments

When the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) was first introduced in 2005, most of the emission allowances were handed out for free, based on historic emissions. The basic idea is that as the ETS matures, the proportion of free allowances will decrease while an increasing number will be auctioned. This gives producers an incentive to reduce emi

Late last year, the 12th European Minerals Forum took place in the North-Rhine Westphalian Representation, Brussels.
The high-level event, organised by the European Minerals Foundation with strong support from the Non-Energy Extractive Industry Panel (NEEIP), brought together more than 50 stakeholders and was an opportunity to address the key challenges of the industry. At the event on 30 November, the central theme was Resource Efficiency, the major topic of 2011 for the European Union institutions (2012

Getting the right machine for the right application is an essential part of Malcolm Edwards' role with Hitachi. He spoke to Claire Symes about his career and the industry

According to Hitachi's Malcolm Edwards, equipment for the quarrying industry should be sold on technical specification rather than price and ensuring this happens is a key part of his role. Edwards is Hitachi's international sales area manager for heavy and mining equipment but is more of a technical man than a sales man.