quarrying

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

quarrying
    n 1: the extraction of building stone or slate from an open
         surface quarry

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Quarry \Quar"ry\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Quarried}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Quarrying}.]
   To dig or take from a quarry; as, to quarry marble.
   [1913 Webster]