Hobbies And Interests
Gravel
Any kind of small rock or pebble is generally considered gravel. Gravel is commonly used on residential and commercial properties for decorative purposes. Gravel composed of granite is often laid down in driveways and drainage areas and is frequently employed in construction. Small river rocks, another type of gravel, are occasionally mixed with concrete. They are also laid down for pathways and used as bases for garden ponds. Pieces of gravel can range anywhere between the size of a grain of sand to 2 inches in diameter.
Draglining
Draglining is the most popularly used extraction method in gravel pits and quarries. A dragline for a large quarry costs anywhere between 50 and 100 million dollars as of the time of publication and can weigh up to 2000 metric tons. Draglines are responsible for removing dirt over quarries. Buckets for draglines can be as large as a two-door garage and can carry hundreds of tons of dirt. Once dirt is removed, target materials, in this case gravel, are exposed. Carefully placed dynamite is then used to blast uncovered stones.
Employment
Mining jobs mainly exist in areas where large gravel deposits are present. Over half of the employees in the mining industry as a whole work in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Gravel, however, is mined in nearly every single State. In fact, in rural parts of the country, gravel mining is a big industry and is a main source of employment. While they are a big source of employment, individual gravel operations are usually small and do not typically employ more than 20 workers. To qualify for employment, workers usually must be at least 18 years old, hold at least a high school diploma and be in good physical shape.
Reclamation
Eventually, quarries run out of source material. Luckily, the land that was used for mining can be reclaimed, or used for something else. Usually reclaimed quarry land is returned to the wild. Certain states have regulations for mines so that they can be reclaimed. These regulations limit water and wind erosion and allow plants to be erected with ease. Unfortunately, reclamation is most difficult for sand and gravel pits. When a gravel pit is first dug, operators should save enough top soil for eventual reclamation. Pit owners without enough may have to purchase top soil, which will obviously be expensive considering the size of quarries.