How a quarry works
After the stripping and storage of soils and overburden, raw materials are extracted using a mechanical shovel or dragline. Some of these quarries are worked as lakes by a floating dredger which pumps the sand and gravel to the plant. Other sites employ pumps to "de-water" them and so allow dry extraction techniques.
The raw materials are transported, usually by conveyor, to a processing plant for washing, screening, crushing and grading. The majority of sand and gravel quarries have been returned to agriculture and there is increasing awareness of the contribution restored sites can make to wildlife habitats and to promote biodiversity. The progressive nature of this type of quarrying means that restoration can follow closely behind extraction so that the land can be returned to farming in a matter of months.