Features

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world and after water is the most widely used material of any kind. Western economies have used it for years and developing countries now have an insatiable demand for it as they build infrastructure. Patrick Smith reports

Produced ready-mixed and fresh, for sale to contractors; for the production of precast elements in factories or on site; concrete has many assets.

For example, it has a life span often over a century; it can be recycled

This year has seen the introduction of a host of new and improved wheeled loaders and crawler excavators from many manufacturers as Dan Gilkes reports.

The majority of these updates have been driven by emissions legislation changes within Europe and North America.

For less regulated markets such as the Middle East, Russia, Africa, India and China, where machines are currently running at Tier 2, Tier 3 emissions, or in some cases in effect untiered levels, it might appear that there is little of inte

The Roman scholar Pliny the Elder is quoted as having said: “The only certainty is that nothing is certain.” He obviously didn’t work in the quarry business, but when it comes to machine breakdowns, perhaps he did. In any hard working quarry operation, whatever the material, wherever in the world you are operating, an absolute certainty is that machinery and equipment will wear out, writes Dan Gilkes.

How you deal with that fact, through preventative maintenance and scheduled overhaul, can play a major

The Finnish Natural Stone Industry Association is leading an international project for the promotion of safety in natural stone quarries. The project, co-funded by the European Commission through Lifelong Learning Programme Leonardo Da Vinci, counts on the involvement of Finland, Spain, Germany and Croatia. The project, Safequ-3D Animations for Promoting Safety and Health in Natural Stone Quarries, aims to boost healthy and safe workplaces in natural stone quarries by means of good practices.

The Institute of Quarrying introduction to aggregates, crushing and screening course wins Terex Chairman’s Award. A leading global manufacturer of mobile mining and quarrying equipment, Terex Materials Processing was looking for ways to enhance its team members’ understanding of end-user requirements, generally to increase sales and improve product design, but also as a vehicle for demonstrating commitment to ongoing team member development.