The purpose of the project is to provide essential data on the hardrock extractive (construction material) resources supplying the Adelaide metropolitan area, in order to be able to: - Critically examine current hardrock supplies and resources and how these will meet demands into the future. - Provide basic information to Government for sound planning decisions. - Complement a Government commitment to competition in the industry. - Complement existing reviews of other construction materials. This is an abridged (summary) version of the report; the full report contains data on individual deposits, including confidential data, and is for internal State Government use only. A total of 33 sites have been considered, of which 27 are currently operational. For each site a detailed assessment has been made of the rock type, the resource volume, product quality, production plant, existing and potential limitations, as well as a compilation and analysis of the production data. The 'Greater Metropolitan Area' herein considered approximates to the area for the 30 Year Plan for Greater Adelaide (2010), but also extends outside of this to include quarries that supply significant volumes of material into the metropolitan area. To further investigate trends in the development of hardrock quarries, this area has been subdivided into 7 broad geographic zones. The annual production figures are derived from product sales, and can be used to assess the depletion of a resource. Total production from 1972 (4.2 Mt) to 2008 (7.5 Mt) shows a long term growth trend, but with considerable shorter term volatility. Production volumes broken down by rock-type categories show long term increases in limestone-dolomite (the largest production category), metasediment and calcrete, and a decline in quartzite-sandstone. Related to the quartzite-sandstone production decline is a decrease in production in central Adelaide zones and increases in outlying zones. Resource estimates (not JORC compliant) for individual sites have been aggregated to produce total resource estimates for rock-type categories, zones and the entire region, and these have been categorised as Acknowledged Reserves (representing a reasonably accessible resource given current parameters) and Potential Reserves (representing the Acknowledged Reserve plus additional geological resources for which access is not guaranteed). To estimate the depletion rate and remaining life of the Acknowledged Reserves various parameters have been used to minimise the effect of the erratic nature of the annual production variations. Using the total Acknowledged Reserve for the entire region of 468 Mt, estimates of total resource life in the range 40-50 years were derived. These estimates are subject to a large range of variables including possible sterilisation of resources by nearby incompatible development. To minimise the potential for sterilisation, protection is required of significant resources and their transport corridors, together with buffer zones, by implementing appropriate land use planning processes and decisions. Planning system mechanisms to achieve resource protection are not in the scope of this report, but the report will assist with the delineation of important resource areas for possible protection. Resource areas associated with existing quarries are delineated spatially in the full data (confidential) version of this report. Maps of all mineral tenements are publically available online from the PIRSA SARIG system. These areas together with other areas of geological potential are shown in the PIRSA MER Mineral Resource Potential Mapping system. The trend to increased production in outer zones more distant from central Adelaide is likely to continue. Significant growth is predicted in areas of Cambrian age (Kanmantoo Group) metasediment east and south-east of Adelaide (Murray Bridge and Strathalbyn/Victor Harbor Zones) and Cambrian and Neoproterozoic limestone/dolomite and metasediment north of Adelaide (Kapunda/Barossa and Port Wakefield Zones). Use of resources more distant from markets will lead to increased transport (and environmental) costs and hence increased costs to construction material consumers. Maximum possible use of closer resources will minimise these costs. This report presents a snapshot of the hardrock extractives industry as at December 2008; in essence it has broadly adapted to new conditions, new sites and new source rock materials; new product specifications are being developed, and new or updated crushing plants are being installed. Consequently, the dynamics of the industry are changing, and the 'life' of an individual deposit or a grouped resource may vary according to the state of the industry at the time. The industry is strongly competitive, with room and opportunity for new developments according to both quality of material and location of the deposit in relation to the market. The quality level of crushed hardrock products is quite diverse, and it is the intermediate and lower grade products that provide the bulk of the demand. For areas of new urban or industrial development, the proximity of a source that can generate the bulk of the products will provide the most economic benefit; if that site also produces the higher end quality range of materials it is an extra benefit. The actual demand for the high end quality products is not large, but having ongoing sources of supply for these type materials remains vital.