Natural aggregate mines, specializing in the extraction of sand, gravel, and rock deposits, play a crucial role in the construction and road industries. Using open-pit methods and extraction from lake and river beds, these natural resources find wide applications in various industrial sectors. However, as technology advances and market demands grow, mines are looking for new ways to utilize their available resources. One of the innovative solution is expanding their operations to produce paving stones and concrete prefabs using previously unused aggregate fractions.
Using Undeveloped Aggregate Fractions in the Production of Pavers and Precast Concrete Products
Many mines focus on providing selected aggregate fractions for specific applications, such as road construction. However, the wide range of produced fractions creates an opportunity to use resources that were previously not utilized. Turning these fractions into finished products, such as paving stones and concrete prefabs, can bring many benefits. This minimizes waste, generates additional income, and reduces transportation costs since production takes place on-site.
Success Stories: KSM Parsęcko and NATRIX
Mrs. Sylwia Mroczek from the Mineral Resources Mine in Northern Poland is one of the pioneers of this approach. Her company, KSM Parsęcko, operating for 32 years, successfully produces paving stones and road prefabs. "We wanted to meet our clients' needs and expand our business. By producing building prefabs using vibropressing, we have become more competitive in the construction market," says Mrs. Mroczek.
A similar success was achieved by ZPK Rupińscy, which created the company NATRIX. In Suwałki, at one of the largest gravel mines in Poland, NATRIX produces paving stones and building prefabs. Production Director Wojciech Pogorzelski emphasizes: "Some aggregate fractions are underutilized in road construction. Therefore, we established the first production hall with a Techmatik 5000 production line, and two years ago we launched a second, automated production line. Today, our products, including paving stones, curbs, edges, palisades, blocks, and many other elements, reach individual customers as well as companies in the construction and road industries."
Technology of Paving Stone Production
Producing concrete paving stones requires the use of various types of aggregates. Both gravel-pebble aggregates and crushed rock aggregates such as basalt, granite, or limestone are used in this process. For single-layer paving stones, a mixture of aggregates with a grain size of 0-8 mm is used. For two-layer elements, it is necessary to prepare two sets of aggregates with appropriate grain size and sand content.
High-quality concrete depends on the quality of the used aggregates. It is not possible to use gravels and crushed stones from weathered rocks, sandstones with clay, silt, or organic parts for production. Also, fragile grains, which degrade the quality and strength of the final product, should be avoided.
Benefits of Expanding Operations
Expanding operations to produce paving stones and concrete prefabs brings many benefits to mines:
In summary, expanding gravel mines to produce paving stones and concrete prefabs is a strategic step towards a more sustainable and profitable business model. Success stories show that this approach can bring significant benefits to both the company and its customers.
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