Maddhapara: Stone extraction has resumed at the Maddhapara Hard Rock Mine in the district. The operations restarted at midnight on Tuesday after a four-day suspension due to a shortage of explosives.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Maddhapara Hard Rock Mine General Manager Engineer Md. Obaidullah confirmed the resumption of operations, stating that stone extraction activities recommenced under the supervision of Maddhapara Granite Mining Company from 12:00 am Tuesday. He explained that ammonium nitrate and several other explosives are essential for the extraction process, and a shortage of one such explosive had halted operations since August 28.
On Monday afternoon, the necessary explosive arrived at the mine, allowing underground activities to resume immediately, with full-scale extraction beginning at midnight. This process is expected to continue uninterrupted. Sources indicated that the Belarusian contracting firm Germania Trust Consortium (GTC) is conducting the extraction, with Maddhapara Granite Mining Company responsible for supplying all machinery and explosives under the agreement.
Maintaining previous consistency, the mine authorities expect to extract between 5,000 to 5,500 metric tons of stone daily across three shifts. The mine has faced similar disruptions in the past due to explosive shortages, with production previously suspended in May 2022, and also experiencing disruptions in 2014, 2015, June 2018, and March 2022.
Sources added that stone extraction at the Maddhapara Hard Rock Mine is currently ongoing. The stones extracted are highly valuable and durable, with the government prioritizing their use in national development projects such as roads, bridges, and heavy construction.