Block Categories, Extracting Methods and Cutting Blocks

Block categories, extracting methods and cutting blocks is the focus of the present passage. Long before it ends up as a kitchen countertop or a shopping mall floor, natural stone must be pulled from the earth. Earth is where it has been nesting for hundreds of millions of years. Given the broad range of stone varieties and quarry formations around the world, it would stand to reason that the methods for extracting stone can be quite different. The following is a look at selected quarry extraction procedures. It includes the machinery used other than handling equipment, extraction methods and overall block production.

Extraction of Marble from the Quarry and Marble Blocks

The first step in the production of marble for construction projects is to extract the stone from the quarry. This is usually done with a chain saw or more advanced machines. After extracting marble from the heart of the mountains, what is obtained are the raw stones. These raw stones are cut there and loaded into pieces of different dimensions. These parts are then entered into the next stage of processing in the factory, these pieces or blocks are called coupe stones.

Three Main Block Categories

The resulting coupes or blocks are divided into three main categories, depending on the health and dimensions of the extracted stone:

First Category

Single-compartment, is the best type of raw stone that is loaded in the form of a rectangular cube weighing about 25 tons and individually in each trailer, and that is why it is called single-compartment.

Second Category

There are two coupes, two raw stone coupes in smaller dimensions and two pieces of them are loaded in one trailer. The price of two coupes is lower than a single coupe.

Third Category

There are three coupes and carcasses, these are rocks that are loaded in three ways. The carcass is called a boulder that is one dimension smaller than the other.

Methods of Extraction

Tools and methods of extracting marble from the quarry and turning it into a marble coupe:

Today, stone coupes are cut by well-equipped and highly advanced machines. Here are two ways in which marble is usually extracted and cut from the mountain.

Steel Wire Cutting Method

In this method, holes with a length of more than 30 meters, which intersect at different levels, are first drilled. Then, by passing steel wires through the holes, a part of the stone that is bounded by steel wire is cut. The basis of the work is the rotational movement of a stretched steel wire that cuts the stone with the help of silica powder and water.

The cutting system consists of a propulsion device, a number of guide pulleys, a traction device and related auxiliary tools. To create the necessary traction, the method of hanging the weight on a cart containing a spool is used. In this way, it is easy to cut horizontal or vertical surfaces by changing the angle at which they rotate. This method works well in carbonate rocks such as marble.

Diamond Cutting Wire Method

The diamond cutting machine consists of a diamond wire 25 to 45 meters long (maximum 150 meters) cut by a screw with a guide pulley, in a certain direction, permanently on the stone. To do this, they first dig two perpendicular holes in the rock that form the area of ​​the block, then pass the diamond wire through it. The cutting machine is located on the rail while working and is automatically moved on the rail using electronic and hydraulic facilities and pulls back by cutting.

 

Tensile Wire Strength 

The tensile strength of the wire, which is about 100 to 150 kg, is kept constant. The winch machine is usually located 5 to 8 meters from the working chest. In this way, about 15 meters of diamond wire works freely. The mechanism of the device is such that the stone can be cut horizontally or vertically by moving and changing the direction of the winch axis from horizontal to vertical. Horizontal cutting should be done when the vertical cutting of the mountain has not yet been done because otherwise at the end of the horizontal cutting the stone block may be detached from the mountain and crush the cutting wire that is working in the horizontal position.

Different Wires for Cutting Stones

Mineral blocks are transported by hydraulic jacks and compact cushions after the cutting step to separate the cut block from the working chest. There are different wires for cutting stones that have different hardness. The speed of movement of the wire depends on the difficulty of the stone. The speed of the wire is usually about 20 to 30 meters per second in hard rocks and about 30 to 36 meters per second in porcelain and marble.

Speed of Cutting the Stone

Another important point in doing this is the speed of cutting the stone. The speed of cutting stone depends on the material and quality of the stone. This speed in marble quarries is from 4 to 7 square meters per hour, which ideally reaches 9 square meters.

You should know that among the types of blocks that are sent to the factories from the quarry, the best and most valuable blocks are the first category, which are usually used for the production of marble slabs.

The difference between the blocks used for the production of slabs and other blocks, in addition to the larger dimensions, is the material of this piece of stone. These blocks are very good in terms of lack of cracks and color harmony, they are cut into hexagons and their weight is usually between 25 and 27 tons.

 

 

What Happens to the Other Blocks?

Stones that are smaller in size or do not have a regular geometric shape are converted to tile with a peak machine.

Before beginning the quarrying process, a resource analysis is made. This study investigates the existence and quantity of stone at the site and also the economic viability of the process. Normally the existence of quarries in the vicinity is enough to advance with the quarry. If there is no quarries in the vicinity, the resource analysis is made by way of an in-depth geological study.

Ways to Begin Extraction Depending on Surface Orientation

Depending on the surface’s orientation, there are two way to begin extraction. If the surface is horizontal, a first cavity is cut for the insertion of the saw and the consequential horizontal cut, allowing for extraction of larger blocks. When the surface is vertical or slightly inclined, initially the rock will be cut vertically and then at its base. A piece of rock, which can weigh up to 500 tons, is thereby separated from the bench. The cut is removed and now, on the horizontal, is cut into smaller slabs. Now the smaller dimensions allow for easier handling and transport.

In this article, we got acquainted with the stone block, got to know its types, and explained the methods of extracting and cutting stone blocks. Stay with us, for more information in subsequent passages.

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Sources

zolfagharstone.com/en-us/blog/view/articleid/99 

www.solancis.com/cn/quarries/extraction

www.stoneworld.com/articles/83901-quarrying-methods-an-international-comparison