29/09/2026
A unique project in Nauru.
Some years ago, Cut & Core was contracted by the Government of Nauru, in conjunction with AusAID, to undertake an unusual and challenging project — wire saw cutting the island’s massive coral limestone pinnacles.
Decades of intensive phosphate extraction had left around 80% of the island barren, with a jagged interior landscape of exposed coral limestone pinnacles rising up to 15 metres high. Much of this terrain was virtually inaccessible.
The project had two objectives:
🔹 Remove the limestone pinnacles to create a more level and accessible surface for future rehabilitation and development.
🔹 Investigate the potential for a local stone industry, using the enormous quantities of limestone being removed.
Cut & Core was involved beyond the cutting itself. We helped coordinate the mining and quarrying of the stone, arranged for selected material to be freighted to Australia, where it was processed and subsequently tested by the international stone industry.
The vision was to see whether Nauru’s unique coral limestone could be developed into a commercially viable stone product.
Ultimately, the concept did not scale into a commercial stone industry, largely due to the high processing costs and competition from cheaper global alternatives.
Nevertheless, it was a fascinating project that took our wire sawing capabilities well beyond the typical construction environment — combining specialist concrete and stone cutting, quarrying, logistics and materials testing on an international scale.
Another project from the Cut & Core archives. 🌏
