40 | One quarry, three products Camerons Quarry has comprehensive inventory of plant centred on its Keestrack R5 impact crusher and Pilot 350 vertical shaft impactor. QUARRYING INDUSTRY Camerons Quarry T T Hugh de Lacy Pumice for dairy farm lanes and ignimbrite sand for concrete are giving new life to Camerons Quarry at Otamarakau, 20 minutes south-east of Te Puke in the Waikato. Worked since the 1930s but revitalised by Gillian and Bruce Cameron in 1986, the 220ha block of farmland contains three quarries, one for greywacke roading and concrete metals, another for pumice and the third for ignimbrite sands. While there’s steady demand for the road and concrete aggregates, the quarry under General Manager Jimmy Conway is in the process of expanding its markets for the other two products. “We had a stand at the New Zealand Dairy Expo in Matamata this year, showcasing our Race Pumice, and we got welcomed back by farmers as if we were long-lost friends,” Jimmy says. “The value of pumice as a surface for laneways on dairy farms comes from the reduction in the occurrence of lameness in the cows that results from its use. “Lameness is a big problem for dairy farmers; hard stones get caught in the cows’ hooves, and that leads to their limping and struggling to get round the farm, resulting in vet bills and lower milk production levels. “The pumice binds to give a long-lasting race surface, and is also soft enough that the individual particles are easily crushed by the cows’ hooves, rather than getting caught in them, and thereby preventing lameness.” The other target of the Camerons Quarry expansion is its resource of ignimbrite volcanic sand to meet huge under-supply of such aggregates for concrete construction. “We’ve plans to build a sand plant to process the ignimbrite as a response to ongoing shortages of good sand for concreting,” Jimmy says. “There’s big demand for it in the construction industry.” Camerons Quarry has a staff of around 20 and a comprehensive inventory of plant centred on its Keestrack R5 impact crusher and Pilot 350 vertical shaft impactor, backed up by a fleet of four Volvo diggers ranging from 300t to 750t. For transport round the quarries there are six Moxi articulated dump trucks. While the pumice and ignimbrite resources are just beginning to be exploited, Camerons Quarry continues to supply its range of greywacke aggregates which are currently the principal source of its revenue. The quarry has supplied rock for projects that include the construction of the Matahina Dam on the Waikato River and the regional state highways. The Camerons have owned the farm since the 1950s and operated the quarry until 2007, about which time it was leased for a 20-year term to Fletcher Building subsidiary Winstone Aggregates. The quarry reverted to the Camerons in 2024, and with resource consents stretching out to 2046 and consent for up to 600 truck movements a day, there’s understandable optimism about its future. “Production-wise we’re continuing to concentrate on the greywacke resource but we’re getting increasing demand for the pumice, and we’re quite excited about the prospects for the ignimbrite,” Jimmy says. “Both it and the pumice are really good products and we expect to see demand ratcheting up over the next few years. “The pumice and ignimbrite resources give us the opportunity to diversify into two rapidly expanding markets.” The pumice resource was left by volcanic eruptions 14,000 and 25,000 years ago, and more recently by the Tarawera eruption in 1886. The ignimbrite is thought to have been laid down in the lava flow from an eruption 300,000 years ago. HOSE FITTINGS • 24HR MOBILE SERVICE • INDUSTRIAL Best under pressure We’re available 24/7 to ensure minimal downtime for your machinery and equipment - saving you time, money and stress. Call or visit today for quality products and exceptional service. P 075723960 | Kyle (technician) 027 308 4559 E sales@hydraulinktauranga.co.nz Website: www.hydraulinktauranga.co.nz A RECOGNISED LEADER IN CONVEYORS From conception to completion we are able to assist in all aspects of your custom projects. With experience in many industries and the customised solutions required Russet is your first choice partner. russet.co.nz 3 Atuaroa Avenue, Te Puke, Bay of Plenty. Phone: +64 7 542 0681 Email: mount@russet.co.nz
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