Institute of Quarrying – a 100-year journey

High-profile events set to mark Institute’s centenary year as it looks to opportunities for the next century

CELEBRATING a century since its foundation, the Institute of Quarrying (IQ) is marking its hundredth year with a series of high-profile member and public events designed to share the essential role the sector fulfils in people’s everyday lives.

Against the backdrop of World War I, four quarry workers in Wales laid the foundations for a professional body to represent and support individuals working in the mineral extractives sector.

One hundred years on, IQ is now a global network with more than 5,000 members, including 13 UK branches and international offices in Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and South Africa.

Miles Watkins, President of the Institute, said: ‘Quarrying and the mineral extractives industries are fundamentally embedded in modern society. But we’ve been quarrying for millennia.

‘We take quarry products very much for granted but without them, our lives would be very different. We use them in our homes, roads, buildings – pretty much anywhere and everywhere.

‘As an Institute we are responsible for setting standards of professional development within our industry. We also lead the way in community, social and safety initiatives, as well as addressing environmental challenges and fulfilling our industry’s role as good neighbours within the communities in which we operate.

‘As an industry we have come a very long way over the last 100 years. Now we’re casting our sights on the opportunities for the next century. That’s about further enhancing the sector’s reputation as a career that’s open equally to women and men, encouraging greater diversity in the workplace, as well as creating a more joined-up global approach to what we do and how we do it.’

IQ will be releasing further details of their high-profile centenary events later this month. For more information on IQ visit: www.quarrying.org