Quarrying Methods – Wedging for Costly Stratified Stones In stone quarrying, the wedging method (drilling narrow holes and inserting wedges/feathers) is especially adopted for which costly stratified stones to obtain blocks along bedding planes with minimal waste?

Introduction:
Different quarrying methods are chosen based on rock structure, bedding, and value. Wedging is a low-explosive, controlled technique well-suited to stratified stones where clean separation along planes is desired to preserve block quality and reduce wastage.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Rocks considered: marble, limestone, sandstone, laterite.
• They commonly exhibit bedding/foliation or planes of weakness.
• Objective: economical extraction of intact dimension blocks.

Concept / Approach:

Wedging relies on driving wedges into pre-drilled holes to propagate splits along natural planes. It offers precision and control compared to blasting, which can cause shattering. This makes it suitable for costly, stratified stones where surface finish and block integrity are important.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Quarrying manuals describe wedging for marble/limestone/sandstone and even laterite where bedding controls extraction, reserving blasting for massive, non-stratified bodies.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Each single stone listed is indeed compatible; hence 'All of the above' captures the general applicability across these stratified materials.

Common Pitfalls:

Assuming blasting is always cheaper; neglecting quality loss due to cracks and shatter.

Final Answer:

All of the above