Page 307 - Introduction to Mineral Exploration

290 M.K.G. WHATELEY & W.L. BARRETT

Railway line to Burton Stud Farm Stanton Lane N M1

West Lane Billa Barra Lane

11
Tunnel

Cliffe Hill
Quarry

Stanton
under
Thornton Lane
Bardon
10
0 500 m
44 45 46 47 48

FIG. 12.8 Plan showing the proposed development of the new quarry (on the left), the current workings in
Cliffe Hill Quarry, and the proposed field pattern and associated landscaping of the new quarry.

analysis of this proposed development indi- an optimum level from the point of view of
cated that a mobile operation of economic size production costs. This proposed scheme was
at Cliffe Hill could only be located in one place originally received by the management with
and this would result in a substantial steriliza- some scepticism, but when costed, it proved
tion of reserves. There was also some doubt capable of meeting the company’s financial
as to whether the mobile plant was capable of investment and return criteria and was agreed
producing the different product types required. to by all the relevant company experts before
The financial analysis indicated that produc- being submitted to the local planning author-
tion costs using a mobile plant, which could ity in October 1980. Comprehensive but posi-
possibly require replacement several times dur- tive and wide-ranging discussions between the
ing the Cliffe Hill reserve extraction, combined company and the Leicestershire county plan-
with the additional cost of a new plant at Stud ners followed before consent was granted in
Farm, made the financial return marginal. August 1983.
The third option was the most radical. This During the discussions it became clear that
envisaged a new high capacity processing plant the third option favored by the company would
at Stud Farm which would be fed from both not be supported by the planners on the basis
the Stud Farm and Cliffe Hill Quarries (Figs that simultaneous working on both sides of
12.2 & 12.8). The latter when extended would Stanton under Bardon (Fig. 12.2) would be too
be linked directly to the new plant by an under- disruptive to the villagers. The planners did
ground tunnel (to ensure the least disturbance however insist that all mineable resources at
to the inhabitants of Stanton under Bardon) and both sites should be recovered at some stage. In
act as a satellite producer of primary crushed the light of these factors, the company opted
rock. Working both quarries simultaneously for developing a full-scale operation to work
could supply considerably more output than a out the Stud Farm site completely, following
single quarry. The necessary output levels also the completion of which the remaining re-
meant that each quarry would be operating at serves at the old quarry would be recovered via