Geological Heritage Guidelines for the Extractive Industry: Guiding Quarry Operators around Ireland’s Geological Heritage

The Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) has long enjoyed a mutually-beneficial relationship with the quarrying industry. Many operators have an appreciation of the rocks that they work with, and consequently an empathy with geological heritage values and aims. These collaborative guidelines from the Irish Geological Heritage Programme (IGH) of GSI and the Irish Concrete Federation (ICF) are intended to help all quarry operators follow best practice in addressing geodiversity issues. This will not only assist the IGH programme and update GSI’s databases, but should enhance the industry’s own standing in the community.

The guidelines were launched by then Minister of State for DCENR, Mr Sean Power TD, in the GSI at the end of 2008, who remarked that “quarries can contribute not only to our economic wellbeing but to the growth of scientific knowledge and a greater public appreciation of our landscape and environment.”

Through these guidelines, IGH and ICF hope to promote geodiversity and to enhance the public perception of quarrying by making visible the working relationship between the extractive industry and geological heritage.