Greywacke Ambrock Quarry in Germany

In 2000 the quarry reserves for this site were approximately 10 years. However, recently identified geological conditions prevented additional mining explosions: a geological disturbance was visible in one section that threatened a sudden landslide during quarry operations.

CEMEX developed a new mining concept following intensive coordination with environmental agencies and surveyors; the decision was made to carefully mine the problem area layer by layer. To do this, an expansion of the quarry was urgently required, entailing a larger exposure.

The environmental agency agreed to the solution, the determination to reduce the blasting vibrations, and the initiation of a large ecological forest conversion: 135,000 square meters of pine monocultures were to be mixed with deciduous woodlands, which is the natural vegetation for this region. A further 80,000 square meters were to be similarly reforested.

Approximately 21.5 hectares of external compensation areas had to be found; finding new areas to plant in such a densely wooded area as the Hagen region with a forest ratio of up to 70 percent was a difficult undertaking. Nonetheless, with the support of the Forest Services and local property owners, CEMEX successfully and promptly completed the reforestation of 7.5 hectares and secured another 14 hectares of long-term external balancing areas for the expansion process.