environment
At Albion Stone we seek to manage our extraction operations to ensure that they are, wherever
possible, beneficial to the environment. We regard compliance with the relevant environmental
legislation and the adoption of responsible standards as an integral part of our business strategy.
Our Environmental Policy established the procedures to be implemented by the Company. These
principals ensure we operate to the highest environmental standards for the benefit of the
community. Method Statements for each section set out the operational standards to ensure
compliance with the aims of the Environmental Policy.
As part of our Environmental management system we have changed our method of extraction.
The local community identified noise and vibration from blasting as the most important priority
for the company to address. They also wanted mining to replace quarrying in sensitive areas,
a similar suggestion had been included by the Mineral Planners in the Local Mineral and
Waste Plan.
Fantini extracting the Portland
block from the quarry face |
Bowers mine |
The company introduced wire saws in the 1990's and subsequently jet belts (3m diamond tipped
chain saws on rails) into the quarries to replace blasting as the primary extraction method. This
new cutting technology has had the additional benefit of allowing the company to take the
extraction operation underground. The company has secured the first new planning permission
for a dimension stone mine in the UK for over 60 years. The trials were completed in Bowers
Quarry in 2005 and new mines have started in Jordon's in 2008 and the extensive reserves in
Stonehill will be extracted from 2010/2011. The environmental benefits for the island are
immense through the reduction in noise, vibration, dust and visual impact.
Albion Stone's sites include substantial areas covered by Sites of Special Scientific Interest notifications (SSSIs). The designation is designed to protect the unique flora and fauna as well as the geological interest. The process of quarrying and the resulting disturbance would seem to be at odds with these designations, but it is the quarrying activity itself that has added to the biodiversity of the sites, as rare limestone flora originally located on the cliffs has colonized these quarries.
The company have agreed to a number of
Management Plans with Natural England to
ensure that our operations create and maintain favourable conditions in these important SSSI
locations. Albion fund important scrub clearance operation, particularly the non native
cotoneaster, which shade the important butterfly food plants.
Much of Portland's coastline has also been designated as England's first natural World Heritage
Site - the Jurassic Coast. World Heritage status was achieved because of the coast's unique
insight into the Earth Sciences as it clearly depicts a geological 'walk through time' spawning the
Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The quarries as they are restored will be a valuable
addition to the Jurassic/Cretaceous geological landscape.
As part of our Voluntary Code of Practice agreed with the Mineral Planning Authority, the
company has agreed to work in accordance with the CBI Code of practice for mineral Operators
and planning policy Guidance 16 on Archaeology. Archaeological assessments are completed
before soil stripping to ensure that any archaeological evidence is recorded prior to the
quarrying operations.
Click here to view Albion Stone Environment Policy