Exploitation and Environmental Reclamation of an Ornamental Stones Quarry

Client: Quarry owner
Location: Apricena- Apulia (Italy)
Date: 2014

The project aimed to the production of dimensional stones from a marble deposit. The site is located within one of the most relevant italian dimension stone basins, has already been exploited in the past and consists of an open pit quarry overhung by a rock waste deposit.

Project Goals

Maximize dimension stone production;
Create safety conditions through morphological reshaping of rock waste deposit;
Create favorable conditions for the exploitation of the deposit and reduce Environmental Impacts.

Activities performed

Regulatory and cartographic framework analysis;
Assessment of alternative exploitation and reclamation solutions;
Tasks scheduling and resource management;
Slope stability analysis;
Rainwater runoff regulation;
Economic and financial investment analysis;
Environmental Impact Assessment.

Technical data

Area of intervention: 60.000 m²
Cultivation method: Benches
Cutting technique: Chain saw machine

Transportation technique:Wheel loader with forks
Reclamation plan: Industrial (further marble deposit exploitation)

Exploitation phases

Technical outcomes

Total volume of marble extracted: 770.000 m³
Productivity: 70%
Average production: 50.000 m³/year

Duration: 17 years

Economical and financial outcomes

Investments: 5.600.000 €
EBITDA: 66.500.000 €
Net Present Value of revenues: 57.730.000 € (discount rate 1,6%)
Investment Return Rate: 86,8%
Break Even Point: 3.820 m³
Payback Period: 1,6 years

Environmental Impact Assessment

The area interested by the exploitation project is located within Apricena’s Marble Basin. Two alternative solutions have been compared to the current site conditions (non intervention solution), using AEVIA method for EIA: