Minerals and quarrying
Archaeology for Minerals and Quarry Development in Cambridgeshire
Mineral extraction removes the archaeological resource entirely, which is why quarry schemes carry some of the most demanding archaeological requirements of any development type.
- Mitigation
- Full excavation ahead of each working phase
- Duration
- Runs with the life of the permission
- Resource overlap
- Gravel terraces, high potential
- Plan for
- Rolling reporting and archive obligations
Why this scheme type carries the requirement it does
Because extraction is total and irreversible, mitigation is normally full excavation ahead of working, phase by phase, over the life of the permission. Gravel terraces — the main resource in this region — also happen to be among its most archaeologically productive ground.
The approach that keeps it proportionate
Archaeology becomes a continuing operational activity rather than a one-off pre-construction task, running a phase or two ahead of extraction for years. That needs a stable working relationship and a programme that tracks the extraction plan.
Questions
Common questions on this
Can excavation keep pace with extraction?
Yes, where it is programmed to stay a phase ahead and resourced accordingly. Problems arise when archaeology is treated as a reaction to the extraction front rather than a scheduled activity running in front of it.
Project review
Archaeology on a minerals and quarrying scheme?
Send the footprint, the depth of disturbance and the planning position. We will set out the requirement and the programme it implies.