Institute of Quarrying

Name

Institute of Quarrying

Legal name

The Institute of Quarrying

Website

https://quarrying.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institute of Quarrying (IQ) is a UK-registered charity and professional membership body, founded in 1917, serving 5,000+ quarrying and mineral products professionals worldwide through membership grades, accredited qualifications, the IQ Connect CPD app, publications, and a UK regional branch network with five international affiliate institutes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Membership & Industry Training Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Nonmetallic Minerals (except Fuels) Mining (213115)

SIC

Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400)

akta.pro primary industry

Mining & Metals (EDABALAT)

akta.pro secondary industry

Blasting & Explosives Services (Drill-and-Blast, Explosives Supply, Shot Services) (IMAKAKAC)

Keywords

• Professional membership body
• Quarrying education
• CPD training programmes
• Mineral products qualifications
• Industry accreditation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nottingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees providing access to professional recognition (FIQ, MIQ, TMIQ grades), subscription to Quarry Management magazine, access to IQ Connect app, CPD services, branch events, and member discounts.
2. Education and Training Courses: IQ provides globally recognised training, education and qualifications delivered online and on-site. Includes CPD Select Series (short accredited modules), courses, qualifications (accredited by MP Awards), and diplomas. Can be delivered individually, in bundles, or as bespoke company packages.
3. Publications and Study Guides: Sale of educational publications including Soil Resource Considerations series and related study guides through the IQ online shop.
4. Accreditation Services: Accreditation service for education and training programmes offered by companies and private training providers. Includes peer-review of learning materials, quality assurance visits, and use of IQ accredited logo.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Institute of Quarrying is the professional body for the quarrying, mineral products and processing industries, offering professional membership grades (FIQ, MIQ, TMIQ), globally recognised education, training and qualifications, the IQ Connect CPD app, accreditation services for training providers, technical publications on soil and minerals management, and the IQ Benevolent Fund for member welfare. Its products and services are delivered online and on-site through a UK-wide branch network and five international affiliated national institutes.

Product overview

The Institute of Quarrying operates as a professional membership body offering a unified portfolio of services centered on membership, education, and professional development for the quarrying and mineral products industry. The core offering includes IQ Membership with grades (FIQ, MIQ, TMIQ) and access to the Quarry Management magazine, supported by the IQ Connect mobile app for CPD tracking, factsheets, webinars, and news. Education services encompass globally recognised qualifications, CPD Select Series online modules, and diplomas delivered online and on site. The product portfolio also includes the IQ Benevolent Fund (IQBF) for member support, soil resource guidance publications including the Good Practice Guide and Soil Resource Considerations series, IQ Accreditation Services for training programme endorsement, The Emerald Challenge environmental initiative, and an online shop. These offerings work together to support career development from initial entry through to retirement, with local branch networks providing regional networking and CPD opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IQ Benevolent Fund (IQBF): The benevolent fund established to assist members and former members or their dependants in times of difficulty, offering practical help and guidance to those facing hardship, illness or bereavement.
• IQBF
• IQ Connect
• National Stone Centre

Products and services

• IQ Membership Professional membership services for individuals working in the quarrying, mineral products and processing industries. Includes recognition at three membership grades (Technical Member TMIQ, Member MIQ, Fellow FIQ), subscription to Quarry Management magazine, access to IQ Connect app, branch events, webinars, factsheets, training discounts and the IQ online shop.
• IQ Connect Mobile App All-in-one CPD mobile application offering factsheets, webinars, industry articles, IQ news updates, membership detail updates, and CPD activity logging aligned to the IQ Skills Wheel. Available on iOS and Android for members.
• IQ Education and Training

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £2.1bn annual GVA contribution from Derbyshire quarries alone
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Mining Show 2025 (Dubai)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2025IQ signed strategic partnership with The Mining Show 2025, the Middle East's largest mining and quarrying event. IQ showcased global leadership at the event which brought together thousands of industry professionals.
• National Security Institute (UAE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025IQ President Ben Williams FIQ welcomed UAE National Security Institute representatives for MoU signing ceremony, establishing formal international cooperation in quarrying and mineral extractives.
• Institute of Asphalt Technology (IAT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIQ and IAT co-host annual Student Awards ceremony at Birmingham Symphony Hall, strengthening cross-sector partnership and promoting talent development within both industries.
• University of Derby Centre for Mineral ProductscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership delivering globally recognised qualifications to the mineral products sector. Host venue for annual Student Awards and involved in joint graduation recognition.
• British Soil Science SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as resource for further guidance and learning about soil science, complementary to IQ's Soil Resource Considerations series.
• Natural EnglandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body referenced as resource for further guidance on soil science, complementary to IQ's environmental management suite.
• MP AwardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSector standard organisation that accredits IQ's range of qualifications, setting the standard for the future of the quarrying industry.
• MSA SafetyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal critical safety equipment manufacturer (established 1914, 7,000+ employees in 44 countries) that delivered presentation on confined spaces to IQ London & Home Counties branch.
• Rig SystemsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationally accredited training provider focusing on confined space access and working at height courses for managers and operatives. Delivered presentation with MSA Safety to IQ branch.
• Mineral Products Association (MPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association whose Director of Energy and Climate Change, Dr Diana Casey, delivered presentation on cement production decarbonisation to IQ West of England branch.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3): UK-based professional body covering materials, minerals and mining. Comparable to IQ in offering professional membership grades, accredited qualifications and industry events, though with broader materials-science scope.
• Mineral Products Association (MPA): UK trade association for the mineral products industry including aggregates, cement and concrete. Directly comparable as a UK industry body serving overlapping employers (Heidelberg, Tarmac, Cemex, Holcim), though MPA is a trade association rather than a chartered professional body.
• AusIMM: Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy — comparable professional body offering Chartered Professional status, CPD and qualifications to mining and extractives professionals, with similar international reach in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME): US-based professional society serving mining professionals worldwide. Comparable as a professional membership body offering continuing education, technical publications, and industry accreditation in the mining and extractives space.
• Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM): Canadian professional society for mining and extractives with similar membership grades, technical publications and standards-setting role for the Canadian mining industry.
• Institution of Mining Engineers (IMinE): UK professional institution for mining engineers. Comparable to IQ in providing Chartered Engineer pathways, technical events and CPD for a closely related extractives professional audience.
• Institute of Asphalt Technology (IAT): UK professional body for asphalt technology — co-hosts IQ's annual Student Awards ceremony. Comparable in scale and structure, serving an adjacent extractives sector with similar membership, qualification and event models.

Broad incumbents

• International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM): Global industry council focused on sustainable mining practices. Comparable as a higher-level industry body setting standards and convening major mining operators, but with broader international corporate remit rather than individual professional membership.

Emerging players

• Geological Society of London: UK chartered professional body for geoscientists. Comparable in offering Chartered status and CPD pathways, with partial overlap to IQ where extractives professionals hold dual memberships.
• Mineral Industry Education Australia (MIEA): Australian provider of quarrying and extractives training. Comparable as a regional training body serving the same professional cohort, though narrower in scope than IQ's full qualification suite.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0a8pHirZlaDbXlMFnkpaIw/featured
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/5264917
• Xx.com/IQ_UK

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute of Quarrying