In years past, reef quarries were "mined" to get aggregate for making concrete. The first one below at Kwajalein is small and may date from the Japanese era. It is locally called the "bomb crater." This and the newer, larger ones farther down the island are loaded with living corals and fish. It is one case where modifying a reef increased the diversity of both the habitat and the animal life. A quarry at Enewetak Atoll adjacent to the Mid-Pacific Research Laboratory was a favorite study site.
The reef flat on the eastern side of Kwajalein Island has been extensively quarried. The quarries are mostly large rectangular pools, here partially hidden by the waves coming over the east reef. Depth of the quarries varies down to about 5m at low tide.
An older quarry out near the golf course.
Preparations were underway for a new Kwaj quarry in the late 1980s and the normally flat, mostly smooth reef had already been blasted to loosen it up, but new laws prevented more damage to the reef so the project was stopped. No worries. They switched to getting their sand and aggregate from Pohnpei and other islands. Heck, if rules prevent you from wrecking your area to get construction materials, buy them from somewhere else and let them wreck theirs.
A couple of quarries on the reef at Roi-Namur are clearly visible from the air.
Press the Back button to return to the previous page.