Cemex UK has recently invested in a new inshore dredger at our West Heath quarry lake, securing four additional years of mineral reserves and opening up extensions that will support quarrying for another ten years in the future.
The new inshore dredger, imported from the Netherlands, features technology similar to what’s used in Cemex Marine’s vessels fleet. Before its launch, existing operators participated in supplier-led training to ensure they were ready to use the new equipment.
The cutter suction dredger allows minerals to be extracted from beneath the lake at depths that conventional excavation can’t reach. Situated in the South Downs National Park, West Heath quarry operates under strict license rules, with restrictions on dewatering and strict management requirements for nearby heath and wetlands. With the introduction of the dredger, quarry operations can continue without compromising the site’s valuable wildlife habitats.
Despite being smaller than those in the marine fleet, the new dredger can extract minerals from depths of up to 17 metres within a compact area, supplying over 100 tonnes of high-quality silica sand per hour. This is pumped as a slurry back to shore for dewatering.
West Heath is one of the few remaining operational quarries in the South Downs National Park. According to Area Operations Manager, Wayne Strevens: “The new dredger represents a significant investment for West Heath. The on-site team has embraced this innovative approach and demonstrated strong ownership throughout the project and has made us think about novel ways of extracting mineral deposits in the future.”
The installation of the dredger and all necessary infrastructure was made possible by close collaboration between Operations, Engineering, Land Development, Procurement, IT, and Marine teams. Thanks to this fantastic teamwork, the project finished without disruption to production, with zero safety incidents, delivering benefits to shareholders, customers, and the local environment, while maintaining Cemex’s highest safety standards.
Congratulations to everyone involved for delivering this fantastic asset to our UK operations.