Mining groups visit Longcliffe Quarries
Women in Mining UK and Young Mining Professionals enjoy an educational tour of Brassington Moor
TWO mining groups recently visited Longcliffe Quarries Ltd in Derbyshire for an educational and engaging tour of the company’s Brassington Moor site near Matlock.
Members from Women in Mining UK, which promotes the employment and advancement of women in the mining sector, and Young Mining Professionals, which supports early-career development in the industry, were given a comprehensive insight into Longcliffe’s operations. The visit was supported by Minerals Matter, a resource helping young people explore careers in minerals and mining.
The tour included a presentation on Longcliffe’s family-owned business, which produces over 100 calcium carbonate products for sectors ranging from animal feeds and glass to construction aggregates and agricultural lime. Visitors also witnessed a quarry blast, took a ride in a giant dumptruck, and observed the extraction process up close. The experience concluded with a visit to the on-site laboratory, where Longcliffe test their products to ensure they meet high-quality standards.
Commenting on the visit, Lucy Crane, managing director of Women in Mining UK, said: ‘Women in Mining UK is extremely grateful to Longcliffe for hosting us and sharing such generous access to their operations and people. The chance to witness a blast, ride in a haul truck, and tour the lab brought the full journey from extraction through processing and quality assurance to life for our members.
‘It is truly brilliant to see the breadth of careers across geology, operations, engineering, sustainability and product quality in action, and to meet a team so passionate about the critical role calcium carbonates play in everyday industries.’
Alex Christopher, chair and director of Young Mining Professionals London, added: ‘On behalf of Young Mining Professionals London, we extend a huge thank you to Longcliffe for providing attendees with the opportunity to visit their site at Brassington Moor and experience first-hand the quarrying value chain in full – from extraction to the processing of quality limestone for a variety of modern-day applications.’
Longcliffe’s operations director Chris Wainwright, who coordinated the visit, commented: ‘Visits like this provide a welcome opportunity for us to not only educate people on the variety of essential products our material goes into, but also to promote the variety of careers on offer in the mining and quarrying industries. It was a pleasure to host this visit from a group who clearly have a genuine passion for this sector, and we were delighted they chose Longcliffe for their annual mining visit.’
