New tunnel and processing plant opens at Taff’s Well
-
16 July 2009 - 11:51
A NEW tunnel and processing plant at CEMEX’s Taff’s Well Quarry, near Cardiff, was officially opened last month by Jane Davidson, Welsh Assembly Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing.
The tunnel and plant represent an investment of over £14 million by CEMEX and will prolong the life of the 1 million tonnes/year limestone quarry by 20 years (see Related Article).
The new 200m long, two-lane tunnel has been blasted through the rock face in the south-east corner of the quarry and exits directly on to the main road network.
It will remove all quarry traffic from the minor roads running alongside the site and through the nearby village of Pentyrch, shortening the journey to and from the site by around two miles.
The idea for a tunnel at Taff’s Well was first mooted over 20 years ago but it was not until 2006 that construction work finally commenced.
In 2008, further investment was made in a new processing plant sited at the base of the quarry, allowing the old plant, which was previously visible from Cardiff, some six miles away, to be removed from the skyline.
As well as being more aesthetically pleasing for the surrounding community, relocating the plant has released a further 20 million tonnes of limestone reserves and will result in significant fuel savings, as blasted material will no longer have to be transported from the face to the quarry rim for processing.
