Overview of Stone Crushing Unit

Stone crushing is an essential industry in the country. Crushed stones are used to construct roads, bridges, buildings and canals. In addition, to building roads, bypasses and flyovers. There is a mass and constant need for crushed stone across the country. A stone crushing unit consists of machines designed to reduce the large stone, granite, marble, and lime rocks into smaller sizes such as gravel, dust, and different sizes. Stone crusher unit is divided into fixed stone crusher machines, also known as stone crushing units and mobile or portable stone crusher machines. Both these categories of crushers have their advantages and disadvantages. A stone-crushing unitis usually set up near rocky and hilly areas, near ores, coal mines and quarries. A stone crusher not only crushes rocks but can be used for crushing coal, granite, limestone, abrasive rocks, basalt, river stone, andesite calcite, glass, and ferrous materials. Portable plants are designed explicitly for aggregate producers looking for a quick set-up of a new plant, which can be re-located periodically as well. Stone crushing can continue continuously for 1-2 years at a particular position before there is a need for relocation.

There is a huge business opportunity for new stone-crushing units. In the last decade, the construction sector has registered strong growth rates of 7-8%. The growth of this sector is directly affecting the demand for crushed stones and, therefore, the need for stone-crushing units as construction and housing are major drivers of growth in 40 allied industries, including stone-crushing units.

Working of Stone Crushing Unit

Crushing plants use extensive equipment like screeners, feeders, conveyors, hoppers, separators, and crushers. If we look at the process of a stone crusher, it is relatively simple. Big rocks are put into the crusher, which breaks them into smaller pieces. Rocks are fed through the vibrating feeder into the crusher gradually, and the crusher crushes the material into desired pieces. From the crusher, the material is conveyed to the belt conveyor for secondary crushing before it goes on the vibrating screen plant. The vibrating screen plant separates the quality and suitable material into final products.

Running a stone-crushing unit requires labour and vehicles too. As the crusher is a vital part of the plant, other equipment depends on that. While the crusher is automated, labour-intensive work includes carrying stone from the quarry and moving the finished product from the crushing site to the storage location.

Factors to consider when setting up a Stone Crushing Unit

For setting up a stone crushing plant, apart from the machinery, several other factors must be taken care of, namely:-

Site selection: While locating the stone crushing unit within the project site, consideration should be given to its layout to avoid disturbances to the surrounding environment.The site should not be located within an Environmentally Sensitive Area and its prescribed buffer zone, such as wetlands, steep slopes and in areas that are likely to be affected by natural hazards such as inland flooding, landslide and storm surges, amongst others.

Dust and air emissions: Air emissions are from the operation of the equipment and exhaust of vehicles. Necessary abatement measures such as reducing the air emissions from the plant to comply with the Environment Protection (Standards for Air) Regulations 1998

Noise Pollution: Noise from the stone crushing plant arises from the use of mechanical equipment and electric motors in crushing. Therefore, necessary precautions must be taken to ensure noise emitted from the unit is within permissible limits.

Wastewater/effluents: Wastewater generated on-site arises from domestic and industrial sources. Industrial wastewater comprises of effluents from cleaning stone crushers, washing aggregates, and sprinkling water for dust abatement and runoff.

Solid wastes: Solid wastes are domestic wastes generated by the unit as well as other materials such as soil and unusable raw materials

Waste Oil, hydrocarbon and oil spills from crushing equipment and vehicles: A dedicated platform/ bay must therefore be provided when fuelling is proposed on site. Necessary measures need to be taken to prevent oil spills at the fuelling bay or storage tanks.

License for Stone Crusher/Screening Plant and Storage License

License for operating Stone Crushing Unit

A Licence/NOC is required from the concerned state government to use a stone crusher. The documents required to obtain this licence are

• Mining Lease from the Geology and Mines Unit
• Consent Certificate from the State Pollution Control Board
• Copy of Khasra and Naazli Naksha from the Revenue Department
• Project Report approved by Authorised and Empanelled Consultants Board
• Application Fee

Consent Certificate from SPCB

Stone crushing has now been re-categorised under the orange category from the red category. The unit will need a Pollution NOC certificate from the respective SPCB or Pollution Control Committee. NOC for the two stages of Consent, i.e. Consent to establish or CTE and Consent to Operate or CTO have to be obtained before starting the unit. The documents required for this NOC are

• Online application for NOC
• Signed undertaking
• Site or layout plan with a roadmap 
• Detailed project report
• Details of the manufacturing processes and finished products.
• Proof of installed machinery and the capital cost of the land, building, and plant machinery)
• Water balance, water source and required quantity 
• Land ownership documents such as rent/lease agreement
• Industry registration documents
• Consent fee (as applicable)
• Any other document mentioned in the application

Environmental Clearance

National Green Tribunal, in an order, had directed that no stone crushers be permitted to operate unless they obtain a proper no-objection certificate from the concerned authorities and have the Environmental Clearance (EC) from the competent authority. Documents required for the Environment Clearance are

• Detailed Project Description (DPR), including the name of the project, location, proposed breakup of area, water requirement, waste generation etc.
• Site/ Layout plan
• Proof of installed machinery
• Proof of Land Ownership
• ID proof of Signatory
• Quality test Report (wherever applicable)
• Proof of mitigation options adopted

• Proof of Electricity and water connection

Additional Licences required by Stone Crusher/Screening Plant and Storage License

• GST Registration Certificate
• Character Certificate from District Administration
• Mining Lease
• Disposal of Waste Material Method or Membership of TSDF (if applicable)

Non-Forest land certificate

As per Clause 6 of Forest Amendment Rules, 2004, stone crushing units that seek to use any forest land for non-forestry purposes (stone crushing) under Section 2 of the Act are required to make a proposal to the Nodal Officer of the concerned  Government of the State/UT, to the concerned Conservator of Forests or Divisional Forest Officer, Regional Office as well as MoEF.The applicant will be required to obtain a Non-Forest land certificate from the Forest and Environment Department to set up Stone Crushers. Document Required for this NOC include

• ID Proof
• GST Registration Certificate
• Mining Lease
• Project Report endorsed by Empanelled/Authorised Consultant
• License to mine stone issued by State Government
• Copy of Khasra
• Naazli Naksha
• Self-Declaration
• Company Incorporation Document
• Proof of disposal of Waste Material
• Partnership Deed – Current
• MoA / AoA / MoU

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