The Project is expected to be successful due to the fact that this will be an operational quarry, generating its own revenue and thus will be able to sustain itself. In addition it will at-least has the ability to support the training function with hiring good quality faculty for the courses being offered by the unit simultaneously. It will earn its investment through sale of quarried products. After the total investment is recovered, the machinery will be handed over to the mine-owners and another similar contractual arrangement could be furnished with another party within the same cluster or in another cluster for the development of another set of model quarries. The Model Quarry will keep on replicating hence providing exponential spin off effects.

Selection Criteria for Model Quarry:

As Model Quarries project is being launched for all over Pakistan, for the selection of potential mines all over Pakistan applications will be asked through advertisement in national newspaper from the interested mine lease owners who will be willing to benefit from these projects. After receiving application following will be the selection criteria for Model Quarry. 

a.    Marketability of the Stone locally and Internationally (Through Material Testing)

b.    Importance of cluster: jobs, volume, value ;

c.    Initial Geological Survey of Mine by local Geologist .(For Initial Short Listing)

d.    Reserve analysis

e.    Infrastructure (Roads/accessibility, Electricity, Water etc) availability.

f.     Financial Position/ Investment of the mine owner

g.    Validity of Lease License 

h.    Final Short listing by international consultant/Geologist

i.      Core Drilling.  

j.      Willingness to commit own funds.

k.    Agreement with Mine Lease Owner.  

After critical analysis of above points a mine will be selected for development as Model Quarry. The recoverability factor of PASDEC`s funds will be another important factor in selection criteria.  

Methodology:

Once the quarries are short-listed, a quarry cultivation plan will be developed by an expert using geological and topographical mapping data for each selected quarry. Quarry development will be based on this cultivation plan, implemented by a quarry master.

All the physical and material testing (in accordance with internationally recognized standards) will be paid for by the quarries themselves and can be carried out by institutions such as National Center of Excellence, Materials Testing Lab, Pakistan Center for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Geological Survey of Pakistan.

Once the model quarries are selected, each quarry will be assessed on the investment needed for upgrading quarrying, handling, and transportation. Quarry investment is expected to be financed by the government and private financing. Once initial staff is trained and the quarry is operational, the model quarries will become a center for training and workforce development.

The Model Quarries are going to be set up within major quarrying clusters to demonstrate best practices. The demonstration effect of the model quarry within a cluster will encourage more investment in machinery and better prospecting. The cluster will upgrade itself over time with the upgraded mechanized quarries controlling wastage considerably, bringing it down from a staggering 73% due to indiscriminate blasting to 45%. The detrimental impact on the environment due to indiscriminate blasting will be mitigated. The waste generated from new quarrying practices will be utilized in value added handicrafts.

Model quarries will engage in extracting square blocks through minimum wastage of stone which will in turn result in lower wastage at the processing stage (less than half). Greater value per metric ton of stone will be achieved in the local market. Currently, rough boulders fetch an average of Rs.1200/ton as opposed to Rs.4000/ton, the projected value of square blocks.

Net Profit sharing will be based on the percentage of equity participation of the mine owner how ever the mine owner’s share in net profit will not be less than 10 percent.

Model Quarry Training Institute:

Each Model quarry will be equipped with a training institute that will facilitate that cluster where model quarry is established. The model quarries Training institute will work with institutions like Peshawar University, UET Peshawar, Engineering University, Khuzdar and NED Engineering University, Karachi to develop certificate courses in quarrying and prospecting. The initiative will result in higher skill level and workforce development essential for sustainable productivity growth. The social impact is going to be reflected in employment generation, better paying jobs and overall improved standard of living for the local workforce. Average monthly income will increase by over a 100% Training institute’s activities can be divided into two major areas.

a)            Existing professional as well as mine owners who can be trained to run own work in quarries on advanced method. This will develop the skill of our professionals so that they can fill the required level demand of the industry

b)            Second part includes the new people in which this training institute will provide training to the engineers, geologists, mining engineers, and other for skill development.

Curriculum Development:

This training institute will assess the needs of each of the target group and will design its course outline accordingly while the help of international expert will be solicited in design phase and amount of Rs 2 million has been allocated for this activity.  

Strategic Plan:

This training institute will increase the turnout of skilled professionals who would have a grasp of theoretical concepts and have practical orientation. The training will be as practical as possible and effort will be made to make it an on the job training experience.

To provide excellent quality training, qualified engineers mining, mechanical engineers, local and instructors/Quarry Master will be hired from abroad and efforts will be made to provide a technologically and professionally well-equipped environment.