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When is quarrying finished? What happens then?

Former quarry site rehabilitated for recreational use

The quarrying of a natural resource of rock is a temporary activity. But it can take many decades for all the resources in a quarry to be depleted. Eventually however, the deposit of rock, sand or clay runs out. Or it becomes too expensive and difficult to extract. Quarrying affects only a relatively small area of land, but quarrying changes the land profoundly. The end of quarrying presents an opportunity to restore the site and to use the land for other beneficial uses. Before quarrying even commences, the restoration and ‘after use’ of the quarry is planned.

There is a saying that some attribute to the American Indians. It says:
“Treat the earth well.
It was not given to you by your parents.
It was loaned to you by your children.
We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors.
We borrow it from our children”.
As we strive towards the goal of sustainability and reducing the ‘ecological footprint’ of today’s society on tomorrow’s world, the proverb above, be it ancient or modern, sends a powerful message.

For natural resource industries like the quarrying industry, the goal of sustainable development brings new challenges.

We must strive to maximise the re-use and recycling of construction materials. We must minimise the environmental and social impacts of quarrying.

We must also make sure that we take the trouble to identify the natural resources of aggregates near our towns and cities. We must then make sure that these valuable resources are used wisely and not ‘sterilised’ or wasted because of conflict with other land uses. By recovering all the rock or sand and gravel from a quarry, we extend the life of this community resource. Once the rock or sand resource is fully removed, the quarry land can be restored and used for an entirely different purpose.

Urban encroachment on a quarry site

The end of quarrying presents a range of after use opportunities for the land. Some hard rock quarry voids are well situated for waste recycling and to receive landfill. Other sites can be fully restored and reinstated for nature conservation. Many sand and gravel workings are water filled and form wetlands or lakes for nature conservation and recreation.

Some other uses for old quarries in Australia include: residential developments, shopping centres, tourist facilities, car parks, parklands, botanic gardens, camping grounds, nurseries, agriculture, fisheries, and entertainment venues for theatre and music concerts.

Penrith lakes
Perhaps one of the best examples of a quarry after use in Australia is the Penrith Lakes Olympic rowing course in Sydney. Penrith Lakes is being formed by the removal of a large sand and gravel deposit which supplies much of Sydney’s coarse and fine aggregates.

Penrith Lakes Olympic rowing facility in its early stages
The rowing and canoeing venue is just part of an overall after-use plan for quarrying. This includes nature conservation, residential developments, sport and recreation facilities, parklands, walking trails and interactive environmental education.

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