Features

The European Commission is conducting a feasibility study into the creation of a fund to cover environmental liabilities for industrial accidents. If introduced, this could have a major impact on aggregates, mining and minerals companies. Ian Lamond of Stephens Scown LLP discusses the issues involved. An issue of increasing importance to the aggregates and minerals sector across Europe is the potential creation of a fund to cover environmental liabilities from industrial accidents. This is currently the sub

Obtaining the proper price for products is important to Barry Hudson and HeidelbergCement as Patrick Smith reports. Industry conferences often tend to debate policies and equipment, but pricing is a subject not often on the agenda. And Barry Hudson thinks the matter should be given more prominence, particularly at a time when all the major players in the aggregates industry are busy reducing debt and making savings. “As an industry we need to focus on pricing as much as operations because it is such a big i

The European Aggregates Association (UEPG) highlights the main policies of sector interest during three EU Presidencies. The next Council work programme as established by the future Irish, Lithuanian and Greek Presidencies of the European Union covers the period January 2013 to June 2014. The main policies of sector interest are: Environment - Within the wider umbrella of sustainable development, environment will continue to be on the forefront of the EU agenda with a continuing emphasis on green growth and

As the EU calls for recycling of CD&E waste across Europe to reach 70% by 2020 has Brussels got the criteria right, or should we be looking at quality and not quantity? Peter Craven, head of marketing and sales support at CDE Global comments on the current position. In the UK, over 90 million tonnes of CD&E (construction, demolition and excavation waste) is generated each year. In Europe the figure from construction, demolition and civil engineering projects is in excess of 1,000 million tonnes representing

Dutch researchers have produced tablets that help concrete repair itself. A self-healing concrete that can patch up cracks by itself is being tested outdoors, say researchers at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands. The experimental concrete contains limestone-producing bacteria that are activated by corrosive rainwater working its way into the structure. Developed by microbiologist Dr Henk Jonkers and concrete technologist Professor Eric Schlangen, the material could potentially inc

After 45 years a quarry train makes its final trip to a specialist museum. Patrick Smith reports. The future of the last remaining quarry train, which is on display at a Cemex plant, has been secured. The company, which had the train on show at Barrington Cement Works, County Cambridgeshire, England, has decided to donate the locomotive and two remaining wagons to Rocks by Rail, a local museum specialising in the preservation of the local area’s industrial heritage. In 2005 the loco and two wagons were par

While the focus for many manufactures has been on reducing PM and NOx in diesel engines, those same on-highway companies have also been looking at alternative fuels. The most successful for truck use has been compressed natural gas, which can be used on its own or in a dual-fuel engine. Now Cummins is bringing this dual-fuel technology to the mining sector with the introduction of the QSK60 Dual Fuel engine, for use in heavy rigid mining trucks. The engine can be run on diesel fuel alone, or in dual-fuel mo

Dan Gilkes looks at emissions regulations and how engine manufacturers have and are meeting standards. On-highway truck manufacturers in Europe have started to take the wraps off their Euro 6 engine solutions, introducing a range of trucks capable of dealing with ever more stringent emissions control. Why should we in the off-highway market care, you might ask? Our regulations are different to the on-highway market after all. However, while on-highway regulations don’t include quarry equipment, they will ce

Martin Isles, health and safety director of Britain’s Mineral Products Association and chairman of UEPG’s health and safety committee, explains the policies that are powering the UK industry towards achieving the ultimate goal of Zero Harm. Having dealt effectively, in terms of health and safety, with its inglorious past, the mineral products industry in Great Britain has now moved from being one of the most hazardous industries in the last century, to become acknowledged leader of its sector today. As such

The quarry in Ribarroja del Turia, Spain, holds 30 million tonnes of limestone and spreads over some 16km. Some 60 million years ago prehistoric life roamed the Aristaria limestone quarry in Valencia on the east coast of Spain. The enormous pit that has been there since the Jurassic period resembles a giant meteor crater hammered into the earth, and the sun beating down on white crystallised rock creates quite a surreal experience. The quarry in Ribarroja del Turia holds 30 million tonnes of limestone, spre