Granite mineral where it is mined. Granite mining, deposits and development methods

Today this stone is very popular in the production of building materials such as tiles, paving stones, steps, countertops, etc. Products made from it are not only beautiful, but also truly durable and strong. And significantly cheaper, for example, than marble or many other rocks that are used in exterior and interior work.

Investing in such finishing materials once is definitely worth it; they will last for many years. And such surfaces require minimal maintenance. However, there are several nuances of using granite for certain jobs that are important to know:

Geography of production - products from different deposits differ somewhat in characteristics (and even in appearance).
The method of extracting raw materials also affects the properties of the material.
Conditions and features of future operation of the product.

We will try to tell you about all this in our article!

Features of products from different quarries

Stone mining is carried out in many regions of our country. Today, almost all mines supply high-quality material, which also goes to international markets and is widely used. Each variety has its own unique characteristics. The table below shows the largest granite deposits in Russia and the characteristics of the rock.

Name and geography of the mine	Breed Features	Compressive strength, MPa/ Frost resistance	Abrasion g/cm²
Dymovskoye, Karelia	Brown, medium grain	165/100	0,28
Mansurovskoe, Bashkortostan	Gray-white, fine-grained	190/50	0,42
Gabbro-diabase, Karelia	Black, fine grain	311/100	0,07
Vozrozhdenie, Leningrad region	Light gray with a pale pink tint, medium to coarse grain	210/100	0,22
Siberian, Ural	Gray, medium grain	117/50
Yuzhno-Sultaevsky, Chelyabinsk	Red , brown, pink, medium grain	160/50	0,10
Kambulatovsky, Chelyabinsk region	Gray, medium and coarse grain	156/50	0,06

As you can see, products from some mines, due to their high strength characteristics, are more suitable for intensive outdoor use, while from others they are optimal for interior decoration. And you need to select a specific variety very carefully - for example, gabbro-diabase has high frost resistance, but low abrasion, so it is not suitable for paths or floors - but it is even very suitable for facade cladding!

But stone from a quarry is an ideal option for flooring. It is relatively inexpensive and has a calm gray tone.

The fine-grained fraction takes a very long time to form and is considered the most waterproof, durable, and abrasion-resistant. Coarse-grained rocks form faster, but they are not as strong, and in addition they have less fire resistance.

What and how granite is mined in Russia

In our country, several mining methods are used, depending on the characteristics of the quarry and the stone itself.

By exploding stone deposits. A hole is drilled into the rock, into which explosives are then placed. The advantage of this method is that it is cheap, but the disadvantage is that the raw material is subjected to enormous stress during an explosion, which can lead to changes in the internal structure of the stone (subtle microcracks, chips, etc. are possible).
Chipping using an air cushion. The method is more expensive, but more delicate.
Stone cutter method. The work is carried out using circular and wire saws, which almost completely eliminates the possibility of microcracks and other defects. Such raw materials are the most expensive.

The latter method of granite extraction is used, in particular, at the Dymovskoye deposit. The variety is very popular, firstly, due to its aesthetic appearance (pictured below), secondly, its low cost, and thirdly, because it is supplied in geometrically correct blocks that have retained their natural qualities. Whatever they make from - countertops, tiles, steps, and window sills.

The cost of the material and its purpose also depend on the size of the blocks produced. Blocks of categories I and II are the largest and most expensive. Only they are used to make slabs, from which interior items are then made.

Deposits in other countries of the world

This rock is one of the most common in the earth's crust; its deposits are found literally everywhere. Another thing is that not all of them are subject to commercial development. We have talked in detail about where granite is mined in Russia, now we will briefly touch on foreign varieties.

Largest suppliers:

India;
China;
Brazil;
Italy;
Ukraine.

One of the most popular is Indian, it is distinguished by its aesthetics, affordable price, and high moisture resistance. One of the most popular products of our company is tiles made from this variety, which are widely used for tiling bathrooms and other rooms with high humidity.

Chinese is no less in demand - but for exterior work. Its main advantages are high strength, frost resistance, low cost, and resistance to high temperatures.

Finally, a number of countries (for example, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, USA, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Australia) produce extremely rare, expensive and luxurious varieties.

Granite is the most common rock in the earth's crust. In addition, today it is a very popular building material. The name of the stone means “grain” in Latin. The stone was named granite due to its granular structure.

The formation of this rock occurs at great depths. Its formation occurs through the gradual cooling of magma and its hardening. There is also another way of granite formation - metamorphism, i.e. when granitization of various rocks occurs. It is generally accepted that the origin of granite can be igneous, metamorphic, or mixed.

Depending on the fraction of granules, granites are fine-grained, medium-grained and coarse-grained. Granites of the fine-grained fraction are considered to be of the highest quality, since they are more resistant to mechanical damage and weathering, tolerate elevated temperature conditions better, and also wear more evenly. In addition, fine-grained granites have very high strength, are waterproof, and are also difficult to break down. The formation of such granites is a very slow and long process, since they are formed as a result of the gradual cooling of mineral masses under the earth's surface.

In contrast, granites belonging to the last group have less fire resistance - if the temperature rises above 600 0 C, they crack and increase in volume. This is the main reason that after a fire, granite stairs and steps with many cracks can be observed in houses. Such granites are the result of rock hardening in a fairly short period of time. Granites of the coarse-grained fraction are the most widespread group in the world among all nonmetallic materials.

It is worth noting that despite its hardness, density and strength, the stone is very easy to process - polishing, grinding, and cutting. It has excellent thermal conductivity, which is one of its advantages, and also allows the rock to be used for heaters. However, despite all its advantages, one huge disadvantage of granite is its very heavy weight, due to which the stone is practically the heaviest building material. However, its weight is a very important characteristic that must be taken into account during the construction of buildings or finishing work.

Granite deposits

Granite occurs mainly in the form of batholiths, which form a large massif covering an area of several hectares. Also, its deposits can take the form of stocks, dikes or other intrusive bodies. Sometimes the rock appears as several sheet-like bodies, between which there are layers of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. Such granite deposits are considered the most common.

As a rule, granite outcrops on the surface are observed in places composed of ancient rocks in which the erosion-denudation process has destroyed the overlying sediments.

Granite deposits are found throughout the entire globe. They are known in the northern United States, along the Atlantic coast, in the Black Hills, and also in the center of the Ozark plateau. Georgia, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Vermont are also distinguished by granite deposits. Russia is no exception, on whose territory there are quite a large number of granite deposits. If we take into account absolutely all Russian granite deposits, including those that have not been developed, then there are about 200 stone deposits in the country. The largest ones include Mokryanskoye, Malokokkhnovskoye, and Mikashevichi. Also, granite deposits were found in the Karelo-Kola region, Eastern Siberia, the Urals, the Far East, and also in the Caucasus. Despite such a number of granite deposits, Russia failed to take the position of leader in granite deposits, losing it to Italy.

The main localization of Italian stone deposits is associated with Sardinia. Pink and amethyst rocks are mined on this island. Sweden can also be proud of the production of the same rocks, but its volumes are several times lower than those of Italy. About 50% of the stone on the territory of the Eurasian continent is mined in Great Britain. Granite production is also popular in France. But in Spain, light gray granite of the fine-grained fraction is mined. Annual supplies of granite to Finland are about 80 thousand m 3 .

There is an interesting fact that granite is the material from which the third highest mountain in the world - Kanchenjunga, which has a height of 8586 meters, is completely composed. Its peak is located in the Himalayas and is only 262 meters behind Everest.

Table 1. Granite deposits in Russia

Place of Birth	Location	Color	Structure
Andreevskoe	Russia, Republic of Karelia, Belomorsky district	gray or cream.	medium grain.
Vinga	Russia, Murmansk region, Kandalaksha district, 30 km west of the railway. Art. "Polar Circle"	light pink and rose red	medium grain
Renaissance	Russia, Leningrad region, Vyborg district, village. Revival. Northwestern Federal District	light gray with a pale pink tint	medium and coarse grain
Gabbro	Russia, Karelia	black	fine-grained
Garnet Amphibolite	Russia, Republic of Karelia, Loukhsky district, Chupa village	brown-red with uneven streaks	medium grain
Dymovskoe	Russia, Republic of Karelia.	brown	medium grain
Isetskoe	Russia, 30 km from Ekaterinburg, 1 km from Iset station	grey	fine-grained
Kambulatovskoe (Travniki)	Russia, Chelyabinsk region	grey	medium and coarse grain
Kamenogorskoe	Russia, Leningrad region, Vyborg district	grey	medium and coarse grain
Kashina Gora	Russia, Republic of Karelia, Pudozhsky district. Northwestern Federal District	from pink-gray and grayish-brown	medium and coarse grain
Kuzrechenskoye	Russia, Murmansk region, Kuzrechenskoye. Northwestern Federal District	pinkish gray	medium and coarse grain
Letnerechenskoe	Russia, Republic of Karelia, Kemsky district. Northwestern Federal District	pink to dark red	fine-grained
Fox Hill	Russia, Chelyabinsk region	grey	medium grain
Mansurovskoe	Russia, Republic of Bashkortostan, Uchalinsky district	gray-white	fine-grained
Nikitovichi	Russia, Leningrad region, Kandalaksha district, 8 km southeast of the village. Zelenoborsky and 8 km west of the Murmansk - St. Petersburg highway. Northwestern Federal District	pinkish gray	medium and coarse grain
Pavlovskoe	Russia, Voronezh region, Pavlovsk	cream	medium grain
Siberian	Russia, near Ekaterinburg	grey	medium grain
Buntin Hill	Russia, Karelia, Loukhsky district, village. Chupa	green	medium grain
Sosnovy Bor (Sahara)	Russia	yellow, brown, cream	medium grain
Dry Elm	Russia, Ural	grey	medium grain
Flower of the Urals	Russia	grey	medium grain
Yuzhno-Sultaevskoe	Russia, Chelyabinsk region	brown, red, pink	coarse-grained

Granite mining

As you know, when extracting the bulk of minerals, the extraction method is not fundamental, since the result is important - raising the fossil to the surface, and not the process itself. This is due to the fact that after extraction, minerals are sent for further processing. However, in the case of granite the situation is different. Since it is a facing material, the integrity of the stone is very important when extracting it. Any cracks, chips, as well as other defects are absolutely unacceptable, because in the future they cannot be masked by anything. Accuracy must be present not only during mining, but also during storage and transportation of stone. Very high requirements for the integrity of the extracted material significantly complicate the process of its extraction from the bowels of the earth.

Extraction of granite can be carried out in several ways, differing in technology and also in high cost. Today there are three ways:

explosive;
air mining;
stone cutter method.

The cheapest, and therefore the most common, is the first method - explosive. However, this method is considered barbaric. Its essence is to place a charge in a drilled hole, which is detonated. As a result, a large number of small fragments are formed, which are not suitable for anything other than processing into gravel, and not so many intact large blocks are obtained. Moreover, during a wave explosion, many defects are formed in the blocks, which have a significant impact on the strength of the stone.

Air mining is considered a less aggressive method. It is somewhat similar to the explosive method, but instead of explosives, air is supplied into the drilled hole under high pressure. Thanks to this method, it becomes possible to make full use of deposits, determine fault locations and extract blocks more intact. As a result of using this method, the amount of waste is significantly reduced and the number of monoliths increases. But this method is more expensive and also time-consuming.

The latter method is considered the most modern method of granite extraction. However, it is also the most expensive, but it is worth it. After all, the “stone cutter method” allows you to develop the deposit 100% and extract ideal granite that has absolutely no damage.

Applications of granite

Due to its properties, granite is a very common construction and finishing material. Structures built from it can serve for a very long period of time. The stone is used for the production of paving slabs, floor tiles, and interior decoration. Various furniture (countertops, sofa handles) and decorative elements (vases) are made from granite. It is also popular when decorating kitchens because it does not absorb moisture and is also very resistant to chemical and thermal influences, which is very important. Sculptures and monuments are made from stone.

Together with the word “quarry,” an association arises with the word “hard labor” and the imagination immediately draws eerie pictures in the head about the backbreaking labor of people tortured by fatigue and illness. In fact, this does not reflect much of reality. Modern extraction of block stone, although a very labor-intensive process, is quite feasible for professionals. I will try to tell you how and why such stone is mined using the example of one granite quarry in the north of the Leningrad region.

2. The quarry is hidden from prying eyes, hidden in remote places almost on the border with Finland. There is a road, but it’s quite difficult to call it a road. More like a direction. A bumpy dirt road stretching for about forty kilometers from Kamennogorsk to the quarry took us more than an hour. Each new kilometer was worse than the previous one, until finally the road turned into a continuous sandy and clayey mess. A sure sign. So we're almost there.

3. At first glance, the quarry looks abandoned. We didn't see a single person at the entrance. But nothing surprising. Due to the difficulties of winter mining, the management of this quarry decided not to carry out mining in the winter. With the onset of frost, work here completely stops until spring. Now in April the re-opening of production has just begun after the winter stagnation. The first watch arrived here just a week ago. We must immediately make a reservation that this quarry itself is quite small and the extraction of blocks here can hardly be called industrial. The volumes are very modest and average 180-200 m3 of finished blocks per month, which is several times less than at a similar quarry in the neighborhood.

4. Living conditions here are Spartan. There is no electricity. All power supply is provided using a diesel electric generator. Everything else is like in the village. Water in the well, toilet outside, shower there. Heating is stove. The harsh life of harsh stonemasons.

5. The picture of brutality is complemented by a battered domestically produced bulldozer, like a monument dormant near a small town. There's not much work for him here.

6. The senior of the current shift told us about the career and the nuances of work, who kindly agreed to give us a short tour of his farm. There are only 5-7 people per shift. Almost all employees have universal skills and combine several positions. They are trying to increase the profitability of production at existing volumes by reducing costs, including saving on staff. The mining foreman here acts both as a site manager and as a power engineer. A loader operator can be a splitter, a saw operator, or a mechanic.

7. The finished goods warehouse at the beginning of the season looks rather modest. The quarry does not perform any type of processing other than direct mining. These granite blocks are what are being sold. There are no clear dimensions for blocks, which would be extremely difficult and costly to maintain. That's why categories or groups exist. According to GOST, 4 groups of blocks are defined. Group I - blocks over 5 m3, Group II - blocks 3-5 m3, III - 0.7-3 m3, IV - 0.1-0.7 m3. The blocks should have a shape as close as possible to a parallelepiped. There may be deviations from the correct form, but they are strictly regulated. The value of a block depends on its volume. The larger the volume of the block, the higher not only its cost, but also the higher the cost of one cubic meter. For example, the cost of 1 m3 of a granite block of group III in a warehouse is 25,000 rubles, and a block of group I will already cost 28,000 rubles per 1 m3.

8. However, despite the more expensive cost, it is not very profitable to mine large blocks. The main demand is for blocks of groups II and III. Such as this one for example. This is a classic example of the most sought after block in this quarry. Its size is approximately 1x1x2.5 meters.

9. However, among the ready-made blocks there are also such giants. It is unknown how long such a block will wait for its buyer, but sooner or later it will happen and it will be a profitable sale. Such large blocks are usually taken for subsequent sawing into slabs - plates, from which they are then made, for example, countertops or window sills. But these products are not very popular. Much more often, granite is used to make facing tiles, curbstones or slabs for paving pavements and sidewalks. For these products, this size of raw material blocks is simply not needed.

10. Therefore, in most cases, mined large blocks are passivated to give them more desirable dimensions and the correct shape. For this, special drilling equipment is used, which is capable of very quickly, and most importantly, accurately drilling a line of parallel holes, along which the block will later be split into pieces. There is a more technologically advanced method - sawing, but in terms of mobility, the drill wins, although it is noticeably inferior in speed and quality. After a circular saw, the edges of the block acquire smooth, even surfaces, which has a positive effect on its marketability.

11. There are different technologies for mining blocks. Until recently, the most common method of extraction in our country was weak explosions. But it has many disadvantages. This mining method produces a huge amount of waste, reaching 80% of the resulting rock mass. In addition, incorrect calculation of the power of the explosion can lead to the appearance of cracks, due to which such a stone will simply be of no use to anyone. In this way, you can completely ruin the deposit and the only product that can be obtained will be crushed stone. Therefore, the method of rope sawing is becoming more and more widespread. The design of a wire saw is very simple. In fact, this is an electric motor that pulls a rope, vaguely similar to a bicycle chain with cutting diamond elements.

12. It is after her work that such perfectly even and smooth walls remain. But not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance. If there is nothing complicated in the sawing process - the saw cuts on its own, gradually moving along the rails as it is sawed, then the preparation process is much more labor-intensive.

13. In order to install the rope, you must first drill two holes in the rock. One is vertical and the other is horizontal. Moreover, they need to be drilled in such a way that they intersect at one point. The slightest distortion of the drill and drilling will go down the drain. For this operation, many devices have been developed around the world to make life easier for miners, but this quarry has traditionally relied on a manual, portable drilling rig with a pneumatic drive.

14. It drills granite rock very effectively, but has its own characteristics. It needs a compressor to work. It's good if you have a diesel compressor. It can work autonomously. And if the compressor is electric, then you will either have to run wires with power supply to it, or power it from a diesel generator. This scheme is exactly what is used in the quarry. As you remember, there is no external power supply here. As drilling progresses, the length of the drill has to be increased. This is done using drill pipes, which, in addition to extension, also provide air supply.

15. Perhaps the main disadvantage of such a drilling tool is its inaccuracy. According to the workers themselves, the most difficult thing in wire sawing is drilling holes accurately. Unfortunately, this does not always work out. Sometimes you have to re-drill, often more than once. If everything went smoothly, insert the cutting rope into the resulting holes and then just keep an eye on the saw while it cuts off a piece of rock.

16. Saw in vertical slices called panels. After the cut is completed, the panel is filled up. When it hits the ground, it usually splits along natural cracks. After this, the resulting blocks are sorted and given a marketable form.

17. Collapse of the panel is perhaps the most dangerous procedure in the entire block mining process. The higher the horizon, the more dangerous it is. The panel is collapsed using a loader. A hoe - a steel hook - is inserted into the cut from above. A cable is attached to it, a loader is hooked at the other end and slowly begins to pull. At some point the rock can’t stand it and collapses. I wouldn't want to be around at this moment. By the way, the risk of the sawn-off panel collapsing on its own also exists. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful and avoid potentially dangerous areas.

18. Fractures are the main enemy of miners. If there are many cracks, then the percentage of waste increases accordingly. The waste includes fragments of irregular shape, with the wrong direction of stone layering, too variegated patterns, etc. However, the concept of waste in this case is quite abstract. If desired, almost all of this waste can be appropriately recycled. For example, splitting it into small products such as paving stones. How feasible this is is another question. Here, each quarry solves this problem independently.

19. The main machine at a block quarry is undoubtedly a huge front-end loader. He is the one who does all the hard work in the quarry. Thanks to its strength and weight, it is an indispensable human assistant in almost all operations, from clearing the face of waste, transporting blocks, to dumping panels. The most common loader for work in such quarries is the CAT 988. It is a huge machine weighing 50 tons, incredibly strong and reliable. Such a unit has a simply astronomical cost - about $800,000. The tire alone for such a loader costs about $10,000.

20. As I already said. This machine does absolutely everything. With its help, finished blocks are moved to a warehouse, the face is cleared of debris, fuel is delivered to installations at any point in the quarry, loaded onto vehicles, access roads are filled and leveled, and snow is removed.

21. The loader does not use a bucket to move and load blocks. For these operations there is another device - a fork. The loader is equipped with a quick-release device that allows you to quickly change attachments. It only takes a couple of minutes for a front-end loader to turn into a forklift, similar to what we often see in large construction supply stores. Only more, much more.

22. The pitchforks, by the way, are also solid. Matches the car itself. They have to lift weights of up to 20 tons. But sometimes the blocks weigh more. Standard cargo semi-trailers are not suitable for transporting them. They are transported on reinforced platforms, the type usually used to transport heavy construction equipment, and loading is carried out using a crane.

23. And this is what the same waste from the production of blocks looks like: fragments, splinters and trimmings, which in their shape and size do not fall into any group. Domestic quarries traditionally do not care about recycling their waste, which is actually an excellent raw material. But this requires appropriate equipment, which is very expensive. In addition, this is a completely different profile and a different market. This is simply not profitable for the quarries themselves, and for stone processors, in turn, it is not profitable to transport debris to their production facilities. Because of this, the dumps of long-running quarries reach incredible sizes. Sometimes several million cubic meters of rock accumulate in them.

24. The stone mining business in Russia is only now beginning to take the path of high technology. High-tech machinery and equipment are increasingly being used, more efficient technologies are being used, and additional stone processing workshops are appearing. Of course, such development directly depends on the leadership and, unfortunately, it often happens in our country that many are satisfied with the existing state of affairs. However, this situation is not limited to the mining industry.

Instructions

Granite is mined in several ways. In Russia, the method of exploding earth layers is mainly used. To do this, it is necessary to make a hole in the rock, into which explosives are then placed. Among the rock fragments, the largest pieces are selected, from which granite slabs are made. This method of extracting granite is the cheapest. Unfortunately, some of the material crumbles, thereby becoming unsuitable for processing. About 70% of granite mined in this way is used for production.

There is also a more economical, but also more expensive way to extract stone. It requires the use of an air cushion, with the help of which rocks are broken off. Using this method, it is necessary to precisely control the places where the crack appears, which is not necessary to do in the event of an explosion. Granite paving stones are made from such granite, as well as some other stone processing products. Granite mined in this way has virtually no internal defects that can form from explosives.

Another technique is based on the use of a stone cutter. She is very, but also very for today. With the help of a stone cutter you can extract the highest quality granite. With this method, microcracks are completely absent in the material.

The main advantage of granite is its durability. Evidence of this is the many buildings around the world with facades finished with this stone. This material can last for centuries. In addition, granite is quite beautiful to look at. And it has not only the traditional black and gray color, but also brown with all its shades and so on. Granite will help you make your own home unique. This stone is also widely used for cladding embankments and bridges.

However, it is worth remembering that granite is a fairly heavy stone. Therefore, spend more time on calculations when working with it, so that the wall of your new country house does not suddenly collapse from the weight that has fallen on it.

Video on the topic

note

In the north-west of Russia, very decorative rapakivi granite is mined. The deposits of Transbaikalia and the Ilmen Mountains in the Urals are rich in amazonite granite. There are granite deposits that are developed only periodically, and the granite mined there is used mainly for rubble and crushed stone.

Helpful advice

Its quality greatly depends on how granite is mined. There are several ways to mine granite. The largest pieces are selected from the rock fragments and granite slabs are made from them. This is the cheapest way to extract granite, although the quality of the stone deteriorates. Most of the granite crumbles and the material suitable for production is only 70%.

Granite is a common rock with high strength, which directly determines the method of its extraction. The most commonly used method is explosive. First, a deep hole is made in the mined rock by drilling, and then charges are placed in it, after which they are detonated.

Next, among the broken off blocks of granite, the largest in size are collected and sent to the place of further processing. The advantages of this method include the lowest costs. Among the shortcomings, experts note the irrationality of mining the granite deposit. Subsequently only 70% the species are suitable for sawing. The formation of microcracks in the structure of the stone reduces not only its cost, but also its durability.

Another method in its first phase is similar to the explosive method. Deep holes need to be made in the granite massif. Next, air must be pumped into these holes under high pressure. The method described is called air-cushion chipping. This method is considered more gentle, since it makes it possible to avoid the appearance of microcracks in the structure of granite. The development of a mining deposit is carried out more economically and rationally, which allows reducing the price of the mined stone.

Another method of extracting granite uses stone-cutting machines. This is the most expensive, but at the same time the most rational mining method, which allows for maximum extraction of the deposit, while simultaneously avoiding the appearance of microcracks in the structure of the stone. For mining, circular and wire saws equipped with diamond attachments are used. Special machines with similar saws cut the rock into geometrically regular parallelepipeds. Stone blocks cut in this manner can reach 20 cubic meters in size and weigh approximately 40-60 tons. The presented method increases the cost of granite. But with its help, the stone of the best quality is mined. Therefore, in recent years, the described granite extraction method has been used more and more often.

Gradual improvement of technology allows us to lower the final price.

It should also be noted burocline method, as well as the so-called “silent explosion” method. With the drilling method of extraction, the contour of the separated stone block is drilled. Next, it is necessary to insert mechanical or hydraulic wedges into the holes made and split the monolith along the contour. In the “silent explosion” method, expanding mixtures are used instead of wedges. However, these methods are not widespread enough.

Successfully used as an abrasive to combat ice, it is a product of repeated crushing of granite. sifted several times, which allows it to be divided into several different fractions. For sprinkling, the most expensive is usually used. , and other fractions have a variety of applications in various areas of the national economy and construction.