Between February 2013 and July 2014, QME was appointed by Aggregate Industries UK (now Holcim UK) to deliver specialist underground works as part of Project Highlander at Glensanda Super Quarry on Scotland’s west coast.
Recognised as Europe’s largest coastal granite quarry, Glensanda supplies millions of tonnes of high-quality aggregate to construction projects throughout the UK and Europe. The Project Highlander expansion was designed to increase production capacity through the construction of a new underground material handling system linking the quarry to its coastal shipping terminal.
01
QME was responsible for the complete underground package, delivering the design, tunnelling and raise boring works required to construct the new underground infrastructure.
The contract included:
02
QME completed the excavation and construction of approximately 320 metres of underground tunnel through hard granite beneath the mountain.
The development included:
QME completed:
The completed raise bore allows blasted granite from the surface to fall through the vertical shaft into the underground chamber before being transferred via conveyor to the secondary crushing and processing plant.
This innovative underground design significantly improves operational efficiency while reducing haulage distances and increasing production capacity.
QME deployed:
Project Highlander has transformed the movement of material within Glensanda Super Quarry.
The completed underground infrastructure now enables granite to move seamlessly from the quarry through the underground tunnel network to the processing plant before being conveyed directly to ships berthed at the coast for export across the UK and Europe.
QME’s integrated approach—combining engineering design, underground excavation, raise boring, ground support and specialist mining equipment—allowed the project to be delivered safely and efficiently within one of Europe’s most challenging quarry environments.
