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Marble Quarry: Facts Marble Quarry: Facts From "Trade School" episode DTRS-111

Figure A

Because of its strength and purity, the marble excavated from the Colorado Stone quarry is among the most sought after in the world (figure A). Although safer than ore mining, working in a marble quarry still presents numerous dangers to the men and women who earn a living under the mountain.

In this segment, we explore some of the dangers and share some facts about the Colorado Stone quarry.

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The marble excavated from the quarry is primarily used for building materials and exterior facades. The exquisite stone is also featured in the Lincoln Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and many of the headstones in Arlington National Cemetery (figure B).

The deposit of marble inside the mountain is enormous. At more than two miles long and with a depth of 300 feet, it has hardly been dented by excavators. In approximately 60 years of operation, the amount of marble removed from the mountain could be thought of as a basketball in the corner of a living room. At the current rate of production, it would take 600 to 700 years to deplete the deposit (figure C).

Figure B

Figure C

Just getting to the quarry is a hazardous undertaking. With grades as steep as 14 percent, transporting extremely heavy marble blocks down the snaking, four-mile dirt road is difficult enough in the summer (figure D). In the winter, the road conditions worsen with constant snow showers and 14 separate avalanche paths. All hauling vehicles are equipped with three sets of brakes.

Quarry work certainly takes you out of your normal surroundings. Inside, it's dark, damp and cold. With an elevation of 9,400 feet, wintry conditions last about eight months a year (figure E). The temperature inside the quarry never reaches higher than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. In the winter months, temperatures frequently drop to a frigid minus-20 degrees.

Figure D

Figure E

Cooling the large saws used to cut through the marble requires a lot of water. Although much of the water is pumped out of the quarry, several inches of pooled water in the work areas complicate the production. High-voltage cables used to power the equipment oftentimes must pass through the pools of water (figure F). In the winter months, the quarry floor can resemble an ice rink.

Workers must be constantly alert in this environment. An accident occurring while hoisting or transporting marble blocks weighing up to 500,000 pounds could easily prove fatal (figure G). Hard hats and steel-toed boots are required.

Related Contact Information:

Polycor, Inc.
139 rue Saint-Pierre
Quebec City, Quebec G1K 8B9
Canada
Website: www.polycor.com

Figure F

Figure G