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The Parque Natural das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros national park in Portugal is a major tourist attraction. Patrick Smith reports. With its rugged limestone hills and upland farmland, divided by ancient stone walls, it is also the centre of operations for a number of large limestone quarries. Previously, many quarries used Atlas Copco BBD 94 DSI pneumatic rock drills, but now to satisfy local concerns about noise levels, the company is supplying quarries with BBC 34 DSI models. “These offer the same high pe

Regular maintenance is essential to keep equipment, machines and the work environment safe and reliable. A lack of - or inadequate - maintenance can lead to dangerous situations, accidents and health problems, says the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA).

However, it points out that maintenance is a high-risk activity with some of the hazards resulting from the nature of the work.

“Therefore, maintenance workers are more likely than other employees to be exposed to various hazards,

Companies across the quarrying industry are seeking every way possible to reduce carbon emissions. The European Union has called on governments to reduce CO2 emissions by 85% and for transition to a low-carbon economy by 2050

Recently, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development project, the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), published its latest update to the Getting the Numbers Right (GNR) database, with “evidence of significant CO2 emissions reductions and improved efficiency.”

It

The aggregates figures that are available are sporadic, and few pertain generally to the last 12 months, but snapshots from around the industry show movement in various areas: not surprisingly these are more reliably available from the local subsidiaries of key international players.

Generally speaking, the best that can be said is that the rate of decline is slowing. From the European Aggregates Association (UEPG) we hear that “the like-for-like 2010 decline in tonnage compared to 2009 was only -1.6%”.

Ever since its introduction, the Aggregates Levy has been controversial within the UK. Sarah-Jane Williams, of Stephens Scown LLP, explains why the controversy is still raging

The Aggregates Levy was introduced in the UK as part of the Finance Act 2001 and came into force in April 2002 and is a tax imposed upon the commercial exploitation of rock, sand and gravel in the UK.

The intention of the levy was to improve the environmental impact of the mining industry; encouraging use of secondary or recycle

Cemex has reached an agreement with Holcim to conduct a series of transactions that will improve its strategic footprint in Europe.

The group will acquire all of Holcim’s assets in the Czech Republic, which include one cement plant (capacity of 1.1 million tonnes, clinker capacity of 0.9 million tonnes); four aggregates quarries and 17 ready-mix plants.

The Czech Republic is a market with a strong economy and solid prospects and Cemex expects that acquiring these assets should improve its operations i

The Moldavian Ministry of Transport and Road Infrastructure plans to invest €150 million to upgrade and refurbish 200km of the country’s major motorways.

It is the largest investment in the country’s infrastructure to date.

A consortium of international contractors has started work on several of the road construction and repair projects and a fleet of 18 New Holland machines has been delivered to site.

Terex Minerals Processing Systems (Terex MPS) has expanded its CR Series portable plant line with the addition of the Terex CRH1316 horizontal shaft impact crushing plant. This large capacity, highly portable, electric plant features a large under crusher vibrating pan feeder to accept the high velocity crusher discharge material and convey it to the straight-line product conveyor.

“This new plant addresses the issue of handling the high velocity discharge from impact style crushers,” says Ed Sauser, pro

Weighing specialist Precia-Molen has introduced a new family of indicators, the i series, which replaces an existing range of instrumentation.

Four models (i20/30/35/40) are available and the company says the new range can accommodate simple vessel weighing, weighing of products, and provision of an interface between the weighing platform and management systems, or integration into any plant process requiring weight measurement. The range has been developed to aid preventative maintenance and remote syst

Michelin has extended its earthmover tyre line-up by adding four new 25inch tyre sizes.

The Michelin XTXL for underground mines is available in sizes 26.5R25 and 29.5R25, while the Michelin XADN + for quarries and large infrastructure worksites is available in sizes 23.5R25 and 26.5R25.

“The new MICHELIN XTXL delivers significant safety and productivity gains not only for machines fitted with 33inch tyres but now also for those with 25inch tyres,” says Michelin, which says the new tyres offer increas

European company, Boels Rental, has placed a large order with Italy’s DF Ecology for a fleet of its DF Smart portable dust suppression units.

The order for 20 units will be painted in Boels distinctive orange livery.

DF Ecology is a sister organisation to lighting set manufacturer, Tower Light, and Boels already has an extensive fleet of TowerLight products.

Doosan Construction Equipment’s new Stage IIIB compliant DX140LCR-3 15.3tonne reduced tail swing crawler excavator is said to meet an increasing demand for reduced radius machines.

The excavator is powered by the Cummins QSB 4.5 common rail four-cylinder turbo-charged diesel engine featuring maintenance-free Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) after-treatment technology to meet Stage IIIB engine emission regulations.

The engine runs at 2,200rpm and delivers 11% more power (81kW) and 10% more torque compar

Family-run business Sutton Services, specialising in demolition, site clearance, plant hire, recycling and steel fabrication, has installed its first Powerscreen Warrior 1400X. Launched at Hillhead 2012, the machine is processing C&D waste from a recycling site in Ipswich, eastern England. Sutton Services is a customer of Powerscreen distributor, Powerscreen Midlands.

“With the new screen media set up we have definitely seen a 25-30% reduction in the need for crushing. This drives down our operational co

Through my work I get the opportunity to visit many different countries and companies. While each site is essentially engaged in the business of quarrying, all are different, and this is brought about by the materials, processes and people involved

An often-asked question (recent overseas visits have been no exception) is how is the quarrying market in the UK and is it improving? These are always difficult questions to answer as things can change quickly, and it is often information from companies and or

Weir Minerals has secured a €4.17 million contract to supply pumps and valves for use at the Poltava iron ore mine in Ukraine, operated by resource company Ferrexpo.
The firm will supply Warman pumps and Isogate valves for use in the transport of tailings at the site, which is currently undergoing a significant modernisation as part of a capital expenditure programme.
Ongoing repair and maintenance services will also be supplied by Weir Minerals from its service centre in Krivoy Rog, Ukraine. The order i

At the Batimat trade show, Fimec presented its automated Fibloc system, which cuts and inserts insulation into concrete blocks.

The system is compatible with all types of insulation (rock wool, polystyrene, polypropylene), with up to 8,000 insertions/hour, and used in conjunction with Adler's A880 concrete block manufacturing system, the solution guarantees the thermal performance of insulated cement blocks.

Revader Totem PTZ cameras have been installed by Sabre Security Systems, after receiving a contract at eight quarries run in the UK by Hanson, a part of HeidelbergCement Group.

The cameras have 36 x optical zoom; can be rapidly re-deployed; can be remotely controlled, and the detail of any activity can be tracked. The camera, when not remotely controlled, can be pre-set to 128 positions. The camera is ideal for quarries due to its rugged construction.

The day/night functionality allows capturing mono

In Rouiba, Algiers, Algeria, French construction materials group Lafarge has inaugurated a laboratory dedicated to R&D in the field of construction.

It is Lafarge's fourth such research laboratory, after those in France, China and India.

The laboratory is designed to improve Lafarge's ranges and adapt its products to construction requirements and specifications in Algeria. It will develop innovative solutions for improved energy efficiency in the building sector.

China Machinery Engineering (CMEC) has signed an agreement with Kar Company For General Contracting, Engineering, Consultancy and Electrical and Mechanical Contracting (Kar) to build a cement plant project in Qarachog, Iraq.

The project includes a clinker production line with a daily output of 6,000tonnes, and is valued at €175.18 million and the construction period is two years. CMEC will be responsible for design, installation, supply and civil engineering and construction on a turnkey basis.

The new RESTORE Project, incorporating partners from the UK, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany and funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVB NWE Programme, has been offically set on its way at a launch event at the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining in London.

Representing the RSPB ( Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) as lead partner in the project, Sue Armstrong-Brown, head of conservation policy, showcased the project’s lofty ambitions to bring together a