Rock Splitters, Quarry
Construction and Extraction
Reads the grain in a quarry face to judge how a block will split, then marks outlines with a rule and chalk line. Jackhammers, wedges, feathers, and sledgehammers separate dimension stone from the mass; chop saws may be used as well. Pieces are worked free from the larger rock one section at a time. The work is at the quarry, on the stone, and physically demanding. It suits people who like reading material, heavy hand tools, and deciding each cut from what the rock shows.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$48'740
Median Wage Market Position
$48'740
What you might do
- Study grain lines to see how stone will split
- Split dimension stone off the quarry mass
- Drive wedges and feathers with a sledgehammer
- Cut blocks free with a jackhammer or saw
- Chalk outlines on stone before you cut
- Pull split pieces away from the larger mass
Skills that matter
- Grain-line reading on quarry stone
- Wedge-and-feather stone splitting
- Chalk-line marking of cut dimensions
- Jackhammer work on stone masses
- Split-plane judgment before the cut
- Crew coordination during a split
AI & the future of this role
Separating stone depends on physical force, uneven material, and outdoor judgment that sensors still struggle to match. Mechanized cutting may speed some cuts, but skilled positioning and reading the rock face tend to keep people central.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details