Government Quarry – St. Kitts gets new equipment

By Eulana Weekes

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS (WINN): For the first time in 36 years, a new primary crusher has been put into operation at a St. Kitts government quarry.

Quarry manager Jermaine Lake said the equipment can crush 400 tons of material per hour. He said the investment is in line with the quarry’s vision to modernize and meet the needs of the public.

“My favorite part is we can put this machine right where the raw material is and push it right there, rather than trucking it down, which costs more and takes more time and is much less efficient,” Lake said. “So, this is much better and fits right in with the idea of ​​modernizing the quarry. This is a new plant that’s faster and better. We’re able to adjust it better to the needs, which should help us get closer to our goal of meeting all the needs of the public.”

In an interview with Infrastructure Minister Mr. Lake, Mr. Conris Maynard said the investment was timely in supporting ongoing projects on the island.

“So we’re replacing a crusher that’s been here since 1988 and that obviously presented a serious challenge to the quarry. I’m very happy that management and I were able to do this because the construction is currently underway at a rapid pace,” Maynard said.

In addition to the recent investment, a secondary crusher was purchased and shipped which, upon arrival, will likely increase the quarry’s capacity exponentially.

“I’m very pleased that we are modernising the quarry. It’s not just this piece of equipment, they’ve also bought some other equipment this year, loaders and so on, and we’re also going to be buying a new secondary crusher to break the material down into finer fractions. It’s a major overhaul of the quarry and we’re very pleased to have it done in time for the projects that are currently underway.”

The secondary crusher will break larger stones into finer stones, such as ¾-inch stones. The new equipment is expected to greatly benefit multiple road construction and resurfacing projects, smart home initiatives, a new smart hospital and other capital projects.