Aggregates Manager April 2016

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g u i d e

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p r o f i t a b l e

p r o d u c t i o n

April 2016 | www.AggMan.com

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Learn strategies for protecting workers from noise Gain insights into filter press operation and management Find out what MSHA is likely to scrutinize during your next inspection

FOR INDUSTRIAL MINERALS THIS IS THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME Shape matters more and more in future-focused applications such as industrial minerals.

Sandvik VSI crushers give you control over fractions down to micron level and virtually eliminate metal contamination. That means you can match the most demanding quality specifications and increase product value by up to tenfold. Our VSI crushers set the standard for energy efficiency and uptime, while our unique bi-flow feed system boosts capacity by up to 20% with no loss of crushing performance. It all adds up to maximum value at minimum cost per tonne.

Discover what Sandvik precision could mean for you bottom line.

Please contact us for details of your nearest dealer: 1-800-826-7625 info.cns@sandvik.com construction.sandvik.com/vsi

Once the chamber of the sealed plates is full of solids, a filter press allows the plates to separate, and the dewatered cakes fall below.

PAGE 22

On Our Cover: Gold Rush’s Parker Schnabel upgrades his plant and nicknames the beast ‘Goldzilla.’

Caterpillar focused on improving six areas with its new F Series excavators.

PAGE 11

TABLE OF CONTENTS APRIL 2016 |

VOLUME 21, NUMBER 4

FEATURE ARTICLES

12

Gold Rush Unleashes ‘Goldzilla.’

22

Filter Press 101

Reality TV star Parker Schnabel invests in a plant upgrade to reduce costs, lower downtime, and achieve production goals.

As filter presses gain popularity among producers, it’s important to understand the basics on how to operate and maintain them.

26 Crushed It!

When it comes to primary crushing, producers have lots of options to meet each operation’s specific needs.

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 3 Editorial A new definition for ‘critical habitat.’

4 Data Mining The latest financial analysis of issues impacting in the industry and Aggregates Manager’s exclusive aggregates industry outlook.

9 RollOuts John Deere’s new 700K SmartGrade crawler, and other new equipment for the aggregate market.

31 Rock Law Coming spring and summer 2016: MSHA is likely to pay more attention to machinery and inspection hazards.

34 Advertiser Index See who’s who and where to find their products.

OPERATIONS ILLUSTRATED Strategies for Reducing Noise

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From identifying and marking noise levels throughout the plant to offering a variety of hearing protection options, producers are protecting worker hearing.

35 Classified Ads Aggregate industry classifieds.

36 Carved in Stone The Mendenhall Glacier shows that a lot can happen during a geologic blink of an eye.

Stroke and flywheel size doesn’t matter.

WE DISAGREE.

Booth FS.1111/3

The 3055 Jaw Crusher offers up to 25% more capacity than competitive models.

Large, dynamically-balanced flywheels reduce peak horsepower requirements.

Class-leading, 1-1/2” stroke offers faster throughput for higher capacity.

Dual wedge adjust eliminates manual shims and enhances operator safety.

TOUGHNESS REFINED.

Aggregate

Recycle

Construction

Infrastructure

Mining

Loading/Unloading

Industrial

KPI-JCI and ASTEC MOBILE SCREENS

Energy

Astec Industries Companies

700 WEST 21st STREET • YANKTON, SD 57078 USA • 800.542.9311 • FAX 605.665.8858 • kpijci.com

April 2016

EDITORIAL

Vol. 21, No. 4

by Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief tdunphy@randallreilly.com

aggman.com /AggregatesManager @AggMan_editor

Editorial Editor-in-Chief: Therese Dunphy Editorial Director: Marcia Gruver Doyle Online Editor: Wayne Grayson Online Managing Editor: Bobby Atkinson

A New Definition for

‘Critical Habitat’

editorial@aggman.com

Design & Production Art Director: Sandy Turner, Jr. Production Designer: Timothy Smith Advertising Production Manager: Linda Hapner production@aggman.com

Construction Media Vice President, Construction Media: Joe Donald sales@randallreillyconstruction.com

3200 Rice Mine Rd NE Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 800-633-5953 randallreilly.com

Corporate Chairman: Mike Reilly President and CEO: Brent Reilly Chief Operations Officer: Shane Elmore Chief Financial Officer: Russell McEwen Senior Vice President, Sales: Scott Miller Senior Vice President, Editorial and Research: Linda Longton Vice President of Events: Stacy McCants Vice President, Audience Development: Prescott Shibles Vice President, Digital Services: Nick Reid Vice President, Marketing: Julie Arsenault For change of address and other subscription inquiries, please contact: aggregatesmanager@halldata.com.

Aggregates Manager TM magazine (ISSN 1552-3071) is published monthly by Randall-Reilly, LLC copyright 2016. Executive and Administrative offices, 3200 Rice Mine Rd. N.E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406. Subscription rates: $24 annually, Non-domestic $125 annually. Single copies: $7. We assume no responsibility for the validity of claims of manufacturers in any advertisement or editorial product information or literature offered by them.

Publisher reserves the right to refuse non-qualified subscriptions.

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E

arlier this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service made a policy change and developed two new rules regarding designation of critical habitats that could have a significant impact on operators.

“The Endangered Species Act is the last safety net between our most at-risk species and extinction, and as such, we want to do everything we can to make sure it functions efficiently and effectively,” said Gary Frazer, the Fish and Wildlife Service’s assistant director for ecological services, in a press release announcing the new rules.

The final policy change describes the general position of the two agencies when considering situations such as voluntary conservation agreements, national security concerns, or economic impact that would cause the agencies to voluntarily exclude a site from designation as a critical habitat. They are allowed to do so if the “benefits of doing so are greater than the benefits of designation, so long as the exclusion will not result in the extinction of the species.”

Of the two rules, one “clarifies the procedures and standards used for designating critical habitat.” It makes what USFWS describes as “minor changes” to the regulations to clarify the scope and purpose of critical habitat and to clarify the criteria for designating critical habitat. The second rule revises the definition of “destruction or adverse modification” to reflect the approach used by the two agencies since 2004 when the previous definition was invalidated by the courts.

Regardless of the jargon USFWS uses in its announcements, these changes are not minor. For example, according to the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), the definition of critical habitat will expand from “an area occupied by species at the time it is listed” to areas that a species may occupy in the future due to climate change or other factors.

Emily Coyner, NSSGA’s environmental services director, notes that operators “should be aware that these changes could cause an increase in a habitat’s areal extent, necessitating stringent mitigation measures, should a habitat designation include their property.”

If your operation is located near sea turtles, salmon, salamanders, or any other of the 1,585 plants or animals listed among USFWS’ endangered or threatened species, pay careful attention to the implementation of these changes.

AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

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q

DATAMINING Stock Report Company

Ticker

Cemex, S.A.B. de C.V. CRH plc Eagle Materials Inc. Granite Construction Inc. Heidelberg Cement AG LafargeHolcim Ltd. ADR Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. MDU Resources Group, Inc. Summit Materials United States Lime & Minerals, Inc. U.S. Concrete Vulcan Materials Co.

CX CRG EXP GVA HEI HCMLY MLM MDU SUM USLM USCR VMC

Current Value

$6.12 p $26.57 p $61.83 p $42.06 p $75.84 p $8.38 p $153.39 p $18.45 p $18.19 p $54.22 p $53.89 p $103.22 p

52-Week High

52-Week Low

$10.48 $31.61 $88.81 $44.83 $86.08 $15.49 $178.67 $23.12 $28.57 $69.94 $62.82 $106.84

$3.64 $20.40 $45.03 $28.45 $64.88 $6.92 $108.31 $15.58 $13.12 $45.56 $32.49 $78.83

Sources: Wall Street Journal Market Watch. Currency conversion calculated on date of close 3/9/16.

U.S. On-Highway Diesel Fuel Prices 3/7/16

One Week

United States

$2.021

+0.032 p

-0.923 q

East Coast

$2.077

+0.023 p

-1.028 q

New England

$2.147

-0.007 q

-1.185 q

Central Atlantic

$2.188

+0.017 p

-1.145 q

Lower Atlantic

$1.979

+0.034 p

-0.905 q

Midwest

$1.983

+0.046 p

-0.869 q

Gulf Coast

$1.907

+0.033 p

-0.888 q

Rocky Mountain

$1.927

+0.046 p

-0.874 q

West Coast

$2.219

+0.028 p

-0.877 q

West Coast less California

$2.097

+0.043 p

-0.829 q

California

$2.316

+0.014 p

-0.917 q

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (dollars per gallon, prices include all taxes). .

4

One Year

AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

Aggregates Industry Outlook 150 140

129.05

130.00

131.68

130.99

128.42

125.60

130

128.61

127.51

122.49

120 110 100

July 2015

August 2015

September 2015

October November December January 2015 2015 2016 2015

February 2016

March 2016

In March, the Aggregates Industry Outlook (AIO) experienced a growth spurt, increasing 2.39 percent against February, to an overall score of 131.68. Overall sentiments are buoyant, despite an increase in fuel prices. All publicly held companies experienced positive stock market gains at press time. While the 2016 season appears to be developing positively, longer projections are less clear.

Comments: In spite of national and world markets appearing soft, I believe the construction industry is looking at a positive year.

— Rick Gerroll, Sales Executive, County Materials Corp.

While 2016 looks very positive and is trending to be an excellent year, there is still reservation what 2017 will hold.

— Daryl Zeiner, Sales Manager, The H&K Group

All indications seem to support our projections that the requirement for aggregate in middle Tennessee will be strong in 2016. Requirements in southern Illinois and western Kentucky, by contrast, appear to be neutral. Winter weather and precipitation are taking a toll on demand presently, but should improve in the coming weeks.

— Robert L. Stone, Manager of Sales and Compliance, Hunter Sand & Gravel, LLC

We are concerned, as everyone else, with the world economy. Oil prices, base metals, and most industrial minerals are in the tank worldwide. Are we in for a huge crash in 2016?

—O.F. “Russ” Patterson, III, Chief Geologist, Patterson Exploration Services

The late winter/early spring demand has been positive relative to expectations, though small over the course of the year. Backlogs for the first half are solid creating optimism.

— Damian Murphy, Regional President, Summit Materials.

AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

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STATE & PROVINCE

NEWS

To keep up to date with news from the United States and Canada, visit www.AggMan.com for daily updates.

MINNESOTA

by Therese Dunphy | Editor-in-Chief tdunphy@randallreilly.com

ALASKA The Unalaska Planning Commission is expected to hear a request for a conditional use permit to establish a temporary quarry, KUCB reports. UniSea is seeking permission to mine rock that will be used to rebuild its dock facility. The new dock would require backfill of rock. The company’s CEO told the news outlet that the material would be extracted from the hillside behind the company housing. Workers who live in that housing would be temporarily relocated.

CALIFORNIA Vulcan Materials Co. recently paid nearly $1 million to Madeira County for fees associated with the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on its proposed Austin Quarry. According to the Sierra Star, those fees included $495,742 in county deposits for administration and associated work on the project, $333,724 to the lead consultant, and $160,000 to a Sacramento law firm. A Revised Draft EIR was issued in late 2014.

Since then, the operator has been meeting with local groups to discuss their concerns. “We understand that residents want to be assured that the project is safe, and that it will benefit the community,” Vulcan spokesman Mike Linton told the newspaper. “We have been out in the community for 18 months, meeting with individuals and groups explaining the project, its benefits, and answering questions.”

CONNECTICUT New Britain city officials are resurrecting a plan to develop a clean-water reservoir at the Tilcon quarry there. The New Britain Herald reports that the city would lease Tilcon a 131-acre site, which it would mine while creating a new drinking water reservoir.

The 40-year agreement would produce a reservoir on 239 acres of watershed property. A similar proposal was shot down a decade ago, but the local mayor had a detailed letter hand delivered to residents living near the site to explain the plan.

INDIANA A Bedford man fleeing local law enforcement officials crashed through the gates of Indiana Limestone’s property. According to WBIW, 62-year-old Gary Bullock refused an officer’s attempt to pull him over prior to entering the operator’s property. He had open containers of alcohol in his car and failed both sobriety and breath tests. He was charged with operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of 0.15 percent or greater and OWI endangerment.

INDIANA The bodies of two men were recovered from an inactive Leesburg quarry, The Journal Gazette reports. Divers recovered the bodies of Allen Stattley, 41, and Dustin Reaker, 29. Officers at the scene indicated that one victim may have been attempting to rescue the other after he fell through the ice during a night fishing trip.

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AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

A former Duluth quarry becomes a hot spot for area climbers during winter months. According to WCCO, the ice-covered cliffs attract climbers from the Duluth Climbers Coalition, who are drawn to the challenge of climbing a 60-foot wall of ice. Since half of the property was privately owned and the other half was county tax forfeit land, the group appealed to the city to turn that land into a park. The city has now purchased the private property and is in the process of turning that park into a reality.

NEW YORK A defunct quarry in West Harrison could soon become the site of a 160-unit senior living facility. The Journal News reports that the development could put an end to years of litigation over the site — which last served as a construction and demolition recycling facility. Despite a new potential use for the land, residents complain that the development is too big and out of character for the area. A grassroots petition against the proposal gathered more than 300 signatures.

OREGON A first hearing is expected this month regarding a zoning application that would pave the way for Old Hazedell Quarry, an investment of Ed King of King Estate Winery, to be reopened. According to Eugeneweekly.com, the quarry operation was last active before current zoning took place. If approved, a spokesman for the quarry said that it would create between 10 and 30 jobs, and operations could last for 50 years.

A group of neighbors going by the moniker “Save TV Butte” held a protest outside the gates of the winery.

PENNSYLVANIA Municipally owned operations are not without their detractors. As the Kutztown Borough Council makes plans to expand its quarry, local residents have voiced concerns about its impact on water quality. The Berks-Mont News reports that the council voted to appoint SSM Group as its water/wastewater consulting engineer. It will begin feasibility analyses to determine if the expansion project is possible.

SOUTH CAROLINA The appellate committee of the South Carolina Mining Council heard several days of testimony from Middlesix residents who are unhappy that the South Carolina Department of Heath and Environmental Control (DHEC) gave permits to Winnsboro Crushed Stone, LLC. According to WLTX, many of the residents voiced concerns about the impact of the future mine on their water, air, health, wildlife, and safety. An attorney for the DHEC repeatedly asked witnesses if they had specific data or studies to support their claims, but many of them could not cite specific information.

SOUTH DAKOTA At Aggregates Manager’s press time, Pennington County Commissioners were expected to hear an appeal of a permit for the expansion of the Perli Pit Quarry, which is on a heavily traveled tourist route to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The Rapid City Journal reports that area residents want commissioners to overturn the Pennington County Planning Commissioner’s decision to grant a permit to Croell Redi-Mix, current owners of the operation. The Planning Commission approved the permit in a 3-1 vote.

TENNESSEE Rogers Group Inc. bought 72.11 acres of land from Farrer Bros.

Properties and Golddust LLC for $504,770. According to the Daily News Journal, the property is directly next to the Murfreesboro-Rutherford County Quarry.

UTAH The Dixie Encampment Chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers is seeking contributions to complete a project at an old red sandstone quarry in the cliffs above St. George’s Dixie Red Hills Golf Course. According to the St. George News, the group has completed construction of a monument, but is still working on the pathway. The group says the display will help visitors understand how stone was quarried. Stone from that site was used to build The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Cathedral and the Washington County Courthouse.

TEXAS Kerr County Commissioners recently debated two items impacting the proposed Martin Marietta operation there. The Hill County Journal reports that County Judge Tom Pollard informed commissioners that they had the opportunity to respond to the city of Kerrville’s Notice of Intent to annex the property, but recommended Commissioners “stay out of it.” Commissioners agreed with his recommendation. In addition, they heard from the Road & Bridge deputy supervisor, who recommended consideration of vehicle axle weight limits on the road bordering the quarry. He suggested a 5-ton weight limit.

PROVINCE NEWS Chapman Brother Construction’s proposed quarry on McLellan Mountain is drawing resistance from neighbors. The News reports that neighbors have asked the county council for a letter of support that would require an environmental assessment before any more quarries are approved for the area. If a proposed quarry is under 10 acres, the provincial government can approve an operation without an environmental assessment. Provincial guidelines also require blasting to take place 2,625 feet from residences. The council agreed to the letter, but also responded that past efforts to institute land use bylaws and strategic planning have not been welcomed by the public.

AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016 Untitled-10 1

3/10/16 3:01 PM

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Aggregate Drones

Automatically calculate aggregate stockpile volumes...

www.kespry.com/aggregates

ROLLOUTS

Your complete guide to new and updated equipment and supplies in the aggregates industry.

by Bobby Atkinson | Online Managing Editor | BobbyAtkinson@randallreilly.com

Dozer delivers precise grading performance John Deere’s new 700K SmartGrade crawler dozer helps make the job easier with the Topcon 3D-MC Grade Control System. The system is fully integrated to ensure precise grading performance and eliminate vulnerable masts and cables. SmartGrade saves operators time by getting rid of the need to install the equipment daily. The technology is also said to make it much easier to adjust the machine while moving from one type of aggregate to the next.

John Deere | JohnDeere.com

Series of tires designed for tough applications BKT Tires offers several models of its Earthmax series of tires. The company just released the newest model of the tire series with the Earthmax SR 45 Plus. The all-steel cased SR 45 Plus has a diameter of 8 feet, 10 inches and was designed for rigid dumpers for long-haul operations. The Earthmax SR 41 is an all-steel radial tire made for articulated dump trucks. The SR 47 model was made for rigid dump trucks in harsh conditions. The Earthmax SR 53 was specifically designed for loaders and dozers in quarries and mines.

BKT Tires | www.bkt-tires.com

Wheel loader with best-in-class peak horsepower Case Construction Equipment unveils its latest wheel loader, the 521F. The wheel loader meets the Tier 4 Final emissions standards with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology while keeping the best-in-class 131 peak horsepower. The 521F has a bucket breakout force of 19,303 pounds with 2.3 cubic yards of capacity. Case’s new wheel loader uses SCR technology to achieve 10 percent greater fuel efficiency over loaders that use the CEGR-DPF system.

Case Construction Equipment | casece.com

AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

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RISING RISING STAR? STAR?

2016 2016 NSSGA NSSGA Young Young Leaders Leaders Annual Annual Meeting Meeting | | JW JW Marriott Marriott | | Austin, Austin, Texas Texas 2016 NSSGA Young Leaders Annual Meeting | JW Marriott | Austin, Texas

The 2016 NSSGA Young Leaders Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas The 2016 NSSGA Young Leaders Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas will shine with a Young lineup of the industry’s stars: in Austin, Texas The 2016 NSSGA Annual Meeting will shine with a lineup Leaders of the industry’s stars: F. Williford Jr., President & CEO, Memphis Sand & Gravel Co. will Hal shine with a lineup of the industry’s stars: Hal F. Williford Jr., President & CEO, Memphis Sand & Gravel Co. Karl Watson Jr., President, CEMEX USA Hal F. Williford Jr., President & CEO, Memphis Sand & Gravel Co. Karl Watson Jr., President, CEMEX USA Mark Helm, President, Dolese Bros.USA Co. Karl Watson Jr., President, CEMEX Mark Helm, President, Dolese Bros. Co. Jon Morrish, President Dolese & CEO, Lehigh Inc. Mark Helm, President, Co.Hanson, Jon Morrish, President & CEO, Bros.

Lehigh Hanson, Inc. Richard Szecsy, President, TACA Jon Morrish, President & CEO, Lehigh Hanson, Inc. Richard Szecsy, President, TACA Michael W. Johnson, President & CEO, NSSGA Richard President, TACA& CEO, NSSGA Michael Szecsy, W. Johnson, President Michael W. Johnson, President & CEO, NSSGA Young Leaders in the industry will have the opportunity to tour one of Young Leaders in the industry will have the opportunity to tour one of the first quarries theindustry state of Texas to implement a dry dust-suppression Young inin have the opportunity to tour one of the firstLeaders quarries inthe the state of will Texas to implement a dry dust-suppression system, reducing water usage by 80%.

Industrial Asphalt’s KBDJ Conservation the first quarries in the state of Texas to implement a dry dust-suppression system, reducing water usage by 80%. Industrial Asphalt’s KBDJ Conservation Land & Quarry (Summit Materials) is an Austin, Texas-based mining company system, reducing water usage by 80%.

Industrial Asphalt’s KBDJ Conservation Land & Quarry (Summit Materials) is an Austin, Texas-based mining company committed to protecting the environment.

Land & Quarry (Summit Materials) is an Austin, Texas-based mining company committed to protecting the environment. committed to protecting the environment.

This is one event every rising star in your organization should attend.

This is one event every rising star in your organization should attend.

For more to register, visitorganization nssga.org or contact This is oneinformation event everyand rising star in your attend.

For more information and to register, visit nssga.org orshould contact Shannon Grace at 800-342-1415 ext.

1072 or email sgrace@nssga.org.

For more Grace information and to register, visit or contact Shannon at 800-342-1415 ext. 1072 ornssga.org email sgrace@nssga.org.

Shannon Grace at 800-342-1415 ext. 1072 or email sgrace@nssga.org.

REGISTRATION REGISTRATION REGISTRATION

NOW OPEN! NOW NOW OPEN! OPEN! 2016 NSSGA Young 2016 NSSGA Young Leaders AnnualYoung Meeting 2016 NSSGA Leaders Annual Meeting Leaders Annual Meeting

April 27 – 30, 2016 April 27 – 30, 2016 Austin, Texas April 27 – 30, 2016 Austin, Texas Austin, Texas

www.nssga.org www.nssga.org www.nssga.org

ROLLOUTS New F Series excavators Caterpillar has released its new F Series of excavators in the 11to 90-ton tracked excavator range. Each excavator has a Tier 4 Final engine. Caterpillar focused on six areas of improvement on the new models: engine, operation station, hydraulics, structures and undercarriage, front linkage, and work tools. The excavators come in the 313F, 315F, 316F, and 318F models designed for different applications.

Caterpillar | Cat.com

Natural gas generators with paralleling capabilities Doosan Portable Power’s NG225 and NG295 natural gas generators now have paralleling capabilities, which allow the generators to be used for site preparation and water well drilling on jobsites where emissions regulations and 24-hour productions schedules can create problems for the operators. The paralleling capabilities make it possible to parallel multiple units together to avoid downtime while still meeting emissions standards. The generators have a factory-installed solution built into the design and come with a new control panel and electronically controlled circuit breaker so the generators can communicate and get in sync.

Doosan Portable Power | www.doosanportablepower.com

AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016 Untitled-2 1

3/8/16 1:26 PM

11

APPLICATIONS

by Michelle Cwach

Unleashes

‘Goldzilla’ Reality TV star Parker Schnabel invests in a plant upgrade to reduce costs, lower downtime, and achieve production goals.

Nicknamed ‘Goldzilla,” the new equipment spread allowed Schnabel to reduce operational expenses by 15 percent compared to the previous season.

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AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

A

nyone who’s ever tuned into “Gold Rush” knows that the entrepreneurial spirit runs strong in Parker Schnabel’s blood.

The 21-year-old miner-turned-reality-TV-star and his family are no strangers to working hard and chasing their dreams. Since the tender age of eight, Schnabel has been following the path of his grandfather, John Schnabel, a now-retired gold miner at Big Nugget Mine in Haines, Alaska.

Today, he’s a beloved regular featured on Discovery Channel’s “Gold Rush,” now in its sixth season on air. Since his early beginnings as an inexperienced rookie at Big Nugget, Schnabel has matured into a professional miner and crew leader, one who has proved his prowess at experimenting with equipment, taking risks, and scoring record amounts of gold in the process.

This season, Schnabel took his mining operation at Scribner Creek to new levels by investing in a completely new spread of equipment, including a SuperStacker Telescoping Stacker, radial stacker, and feeder, all from KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens. Through his investment, Schnabel was able to reduce operational costs by 15 percent and downtime by 25 percent by eliminating the use of trucks and the amount of manpower necessary to transport the pay dirt to the wash plant.

“We’ve always set up our wash plant on a high pad and let our tailings fall off a ledge to keep the site clean,” Schnabel says. “The problem with that is that you have to truck all of your pay dirt up adverse grades to get it up to the wash plant.

“We had about the same size crew as we did last year, so my thought was, ‘OK, we know how to move dirt. We know how to mine gold. We’ve proved that, but we need to start cutting our costs and getting more out of the equipment and the people that we have,’” he adds. “By conveying the material to the wash plant, we were able to eliminate the need to truck the material, which was costly and time-consuming.”

Going for gold Before leaping into a new equipment set-up, Schnabel spent months scouting new ground and traveling around to other sites around the Yukon, researching what new technologies other miners were using and how they were cutting costs in their operations.

“My day-to-day job does not always take place right at the operation,” Schnabel says. “That’s part of my life that the show doesn’t see. I don’t have my boots on the ground every day, so I rely on AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

13

APPLICATIONS

To cut costs this season, Parker Schnabel focused on conveying material to the wash plant rather than transporting it via truck.

good people, and luckily, I have very good people on site.”

While Schnabel says gold mining is “fairly simple” in theory, in practice the real challenges lie in achieving high throughput and avoiding time-consuming mistakes. This season, with a crew of 14 miners, Schnabel’s operation moved more than a million yards of material. Their goal? Three thousand ounces of gold — 500 ounces more than last year — worth nearly $3.5 million.

“In the Yukon, our season is very short,” he explains. “We have about four months to make all of our money; we don’t have much more time than that.

It creates a pretty demanding timeline, one that doesn’t allow for many mistakes. You really have to plan things out and execute well.”

Although his and the crew’s relative lack of experience can create challenges on site, Schnabel says there have also been real advantages to managing a team of young miners.

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AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

“The average age of our crew is about 25, so we’re all pretty young and inexperienced,” he says. “That said, we’re willing to try new things, and we don’t have a real preconceived notion of how things have to happen.

“This season, I look at our operation’s greatest success at making that transition from the traditional set-up that requires hauling pay dirt to a wash plant on a hill, to utilizing the SuperStacker and radial stacker and figuring out how to reduce our costs as much as we can,” he adds. “That’s the name of the game — squeezing as much from every person and every gallon of fuel as you can.”

Conveying capabilities With the goal of reduced downtime and increased efficiency in mind, Schnabel moved forward with integrating the SuperStacker and radial stacker into his operation. The SuperStacker is a telescopic radial stacker that is said to allow producers to achieve up to 30

percent more stockpile capacity. Its Wizard Touch automation system builds custom-desegregated stockpiles with increased capacity.

Schnabel’s attraction to the SuperStacker stems from its telescoping capabilities, which allowed him to avoid the limitations of fixed-length conveyors. With the transformed set-up on site and the addition of a new wash plant — known as “Goldzilla” to fans of the show — Schnabel says he wasn’t certain where material should be fed into the plant, which turned the telescoping capabilities of the SuperStacker into a huge advantage.

“In a normal situation where you have all fixed-length conveyors, you’re stuck to where you set up,” he says. “If you want the material dropping into the pre-wash 5 feet further forward or back, you’re either moving the whole wash plant or moving the whole feeder and conveyor. With the SuperStacker, we have so much more flexibility. While we

didn’t use it as a true telescoping stacker in the sense that it was designed for, it still suited our situation perfectly by giving us the flexibility we needed.”

One of the greatest challenges Schnabel foresaw with implementing a new material handling system was the nature of the material being fed to the wash plant — big, jagged bedrock that he worried would plug up the new equipment.

“We’re running some pretty nasty stuff that almost no normal equipment would see,” Schnabel says. “Some of it’s real slabby bedrock that comes in two-feet long, five-inch thick slabs that can slide right through the grizzly bars on the feeder and then it has to go up through the feeder, through the wash plant, the SuperStacker, and the radial stacker.

“I really thought this would be a big issue for us, and it really wasn’t an issue at all,” he adds. “I can’t remember a time when it shut us down because of this big material plugging up in the conveyors, and I was really impressed with the performance of the SuperStacker in that sense.”

maintenance they do require is simple.

“We wouldn’t have had nearly as good of a season without the help and partnership of KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens,” he adds. “Thanks to the expertise we received at the beginning of the process when we first began considering a new set-up, to the support

we received throughout the season, we were able to really simplify our process, improve our profits, and finish the season strong.” AM Michelle Cwach is the media relations manager for KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens.

Dependable support An important consideration for any remote operation is not just investing in the technology to achieve its goals, but having dependable parts and support to keep downtime to a minimum, Schnabel says.

“Once we introduce equipment into our operation, we’re depending on them to make us money,” he explains.

“They have to be operational. And when you’re as remote as we are, it can be an issue getting parts up here. Fortunately, everybody at KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens has been very good to work with and very accommodating to us.

They’ve helped us minimize our downtime and have been very responsive in getting us parts and service.

“As someone stuck in a remote location, the most appealing thing about all of the products … is that they’re all low-maintenance,” he continues. “They don’t require a lot of maintenance, and the

Untitled-14 1

mclanahan.com

AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

15

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PULL-OUT GUIDE

By Kerry Clines, Contributing Editor

April 2016

Reducing Noise Use hearing protection.

Enclose screens and/or crushers.

Use rubber screens to reduce noise.

Identify areas with high noise levels.

Plant trees to form a noise barrier.

OPERAT 1

Use hearing protection

Reduce the Impacts of Noise

A

ccording to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), “noise is one of the most pervasive health hazards in mining.” The agency goes on to say that occupational noise-induced hearing loss is one of the 10 leading work-related diseases/injuries, and that prolonged exposure to hazardous noise levels can cause permanent, irreversible damage to hearing. MSHA’s metal/non-metal mine noise standards (30 CFR 56.5050 and 57.50501) define the noise exposure “action level” as an “eight-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA integrating all sound levels from 80 dBA to at least 130 dBA.” A high level of noise, if left unabated, not only has a negative impact on employees, it can affect the surrounding community as well.

“When we hire employees, they go through audiometric testing to get the baseline of where their hearing is so we know if there are issues,” says Brian Dillard, area production manager for Rogers Group, Inc. in northern middle Tennessee.

“We then train them on hearing loss and hearing conservation, how to properly wear earplugs, the importance of wearing earplugs or ear muffs to reduce the noise, and how hearing loss happens.”

Oldcastle Materials takes a slightly different approach by identifying and marking where the noisiest AGGREGATES MANAGER

areas in the plant are located. “We conduct noise mapping within our facilities,” says Chris May, director of environmental, health and safety for the company. “In addition, we seek to provide enclosed cabs for our employees that are operating equipment, so we aren’t exposing them to an all-day noisy environment.”

Dave Iddings, owner/operator of Iddings Quarry, Inc. in Mifflinburg, Pa., agrees that having insulated cabs on the equipment helps him control how much noise his employees are exposed to, but he has another trick up his sleeve. “Everybody does everybody else’s job,” he says, explaining that he limits the amount of time any one of his employees is exposed to noise by having them trade positions during the day. “One guy may be running the crusher in the morning, and after lunch he’ll crawl into the excavator.”

As for the community, it’s best for an aggregate operation to be out of sight and out of mind, or in this case, out of earshot. The noisy processing plant consisting of screens and crushers, the worst noise offenders, can sometimes be located down in the pit. The walls of the pit provide a natural noise barrier and also remove the plant from sight. In cases where this is not possible, a noise barrier can be constructed, or planted, in the form of a dirt berm or a thick row of trees. The old saying “Good fences make good neighbors” rings true for aggregate operations.

Provide hearing protection for employees and ensure that they use it. There are many types of hearing protection available, including ear muffs and a wide variety of ear plugs. If employees are allowed to choose the type of hearing protection that is most comfortable for them, they are more likely to wear it. Employees should have their hearing checked when they first begin work and at regular intervals throughout their employment.

If it is discovered that they have been overexposed to noise, enroll them in a hearing conservation program.

4

Soundproof cabs

Some older mobile equipment can cause operators to be overexposed to noise, but most of the newer models are so well-engineered when they come off the assembly lines that the operating noise levels have been greatly reduced. This allows an employee to operate an excavator or haul truck for eight hours without excessive exposure. Making sure the insulation in the cabs and the seals on the doors and windows are maintained is important. Ensure the air conditioning systems on the equipment are maintained so that the windows don’t have to be opened.

TIONS ILLUSTRATED Reducing Noise

2

Rubber reduces noise

3

OUR

EXPERTS

Conduct noise mapping

Brian Dillard, area production manager for Rogers Group, Inc. in northern middle Tennessee, has been with the company for 10 and a half of his 19 years in the industry.

He received a mining engineering degree from Virginia Tech.

Metal screens can be some of the biggest noise contributors in the processing plant. Consider using rubber screens, rather than metal, to reduce those noise levels.

Rubber can reduce noise levels in other areas, as well.

When material comes off the screens and drops into the chutes, it can make a lot of noise, especially when processing rip rap. Rubber liners in the chutes can help reduce that noise. In the pit, rubber truck bed liners on the haul trucks can help reduce the amount of noise created when a loader drops its initial bucket-load of material into the truck.

5

Create noise barriers

The best way to prevent noise from escaping the plant and travelling into the surrounding community is to locate the processing plant down in the pit. The walls of the pit provide a natural noise barrier. If that isn’t a possibility, dirt or rock berms provide a great buffer, if you have the room and infrastructure to build them. If not, rows of fast-growing and/or evergreen trees can be planted to form a noise barrier, which can also be aesthetically pleasing to the neighbors. Remember, good fences, or in this case good berms, make good neighbors.

Oldcastle Materials conducts noise mapping in its facilities. A noise monitor is carried to different areas of the plant so that noise issues can be located. Labels in different colors and shapes are placed throughout the plant so employees can quickly and easily identify what is required. Areas with a green circle require no hearing protection; a yellow triangle means hearing protection is required; an orange diamond means specialized hearing protection is required; and a red octagon requires dual hearing protection with limited exposure time.

6

Enclose screens and crushers

Screens and crushers are some of the worst offenders when it comes to noise. Rogers Group encloses some of its crushers and screening towers to minimize the noise. To keep everything maintenance friendly, the company starts by enclosing the screening towers on three sides, leaving the open side facing the pit or operation. If it still makes a lot of noise with only three sides enclosed, the fourth side is covered to enclose the tower completely. Having it totally enclosed makes a tremendous impact on how far the noise travels.

Chris May, director of environmental, health and safety for Oldcastle Materials companies, has been with the company for 18 years.

She is chairperson of the of NSSGA’s Sustainability Committee, chairperson of NAPA’s Safety and Health committees, and a member of ARTBA’s Safety Committee. She holds a master’s degree in science in environmental health with a specialty in health and safety from East Tennessee University and is a Certified Mine Safety Professional.

Dave Iddings is the owner/ operator of Mifflinburg, Pa.based Iddings Quarry, Inc., which was started by his father in 1932. After high school, Iddings attended Penn State and served in the U.S. Navy. After that, he went to work for his father and has been there ever since. The quarry has received several NSSGA Sterling Safety Awards.

April 2016

Voices of Experience Brian Dillard

“F

rom the employees’ perspective, there are a lot of things that we can do,” says Brian Dillard, area production manager for Rogers Group, Inc. in northern middle Tennessee. “When we hire employees, they go though audiometric testing to get a baseline of wher their hearing is. We ensure that they are wearing ear plugs out in the plant and on the equipment by doing safety audits. A general rule of thumb is that any time you have to raise your voice to communicate, you have the potential for hearing loss, so you need to use earplugs.”

Every year, at most of their locations, an occupational health specialist is brought in to sample the noise the employees are exposed to in the plant and mobile equipment. If overexposure is detected, the employee is automatically enrolled in a hearing conservation program.

Screens can be one of the worst offenders in an operation, but Dillard says rubber greatly reduces the noise.

“The rubber on the top and middle decks of our scalping screens has a huge impact on noise reduction,” he says. “We also use rubber in some of the chutes on our screen towers to reduce the noise made by larger size rocks. Rubber truck bed liners help reduce the noise of the initial dump from a loader bucket into the truck.”

According to Dillard, berms create the best buffer between the operation and the community. “Berms are your best bet, if you have the room and the infrastructure,” he says. “If not, you can plant evergreen trees or anything else that will buffer the noise. We also enclose a lot of our screening and crushing towers to minimize the noise.”

Dillard says that prevention and doing things to minimize the noise to start with can help in the long run.

“If we can minimize the noise on the front end, then we don’t have to worry about hearing loss, and we don’t have to wear ear plugs,” he says.

AGGREGATES MANAGER

Chris May

“F

or employees, we conduct annual surveys, or audiograms, to see if they have any changes in their hearing,” says Chris May, director of environmental, health and safety for Oldcastle Materials companies. “We’re constantly monitoring that. We provide employees with different types of hearing protection.

Some employees prefer to use ear muffs, some prefer ear plugs. For those who prefer ear plugs, there’s a wide variety.

We offer them different types because we want them to be comfortable, and we want them to use them.”

Oldcastle helps reduce the impact of noise on its employees by providing equipment with enclosed cabs, but it also does noise mapping. “We take a noise monitor around the facilities and to different parts of the plant so we can understand where the noise issues are and define those areas,” May says, explaining that the noise mapping creates awareness and helps identify areas where hearing protection is required, as opposed to areas where it is just a good thing to do. Labels in different colors and shapes allow employees to easily identify whether the area requires no hearing protection, requires hearing protection, requires specialized hearing protection (NRR 30 and above), or requires dual hearing protection and limited exposure time.

“We do several things in the plant to protect the surrounding community from noise,” May says. “Where possible, we try to surround the properties with trees.

We plant fast-growing trees to form a noise barrier, which is also aesthetically pleasing.”

Kinder, gentler noise from the equipment is important, too. “If we do night work, we use back-up alarms that have narrow bands, so it’s very specific to what’s behind that equipment, rather than having a wide band that goes everywhere,” May adds. “You have to be directly behind it or in the path of it to hear the alarm. That way, it reduces the noise impact on the surrounding neighborhood.”

Dave Iddings

D

ave Iddings, owner/operator of Mifflinburg, Pa.-based Iddings Quarry, Inc., goes about noise reduction from a different angle.

“Workers are allowed to have so many decibels for so many minutes before they have to go into the hearing conservation program,” he says, explaining that his employees are cross-trained to do every job in the quarry, so that someone working in an extremely noisy area in the morning can work in a different area in the afternoon. “One guy may be running the crusher in the morning, but after lunch he’ll crawl into the excavator. Everybody here just alternates around to do different jobs.

By alternating drivers, I’ve eliminated the problem.”

Newer mobile equipment is well engineered when it comes off the assembly line, so the operating noise has been greatly reduced. “You can put an operator into an excavator or a haul truck and have them there for eight hours, and the exposure will not be in excess,” Iddings says. “With some of my older equipment, I have to be very careful. If I put a driver in an older haul truck for eight hours, we’d probably be exceeding the allowable amount. I watch that, so it doesn’t happen.”

Iddings says the only other place he might have a borderline noise issue would be at the crusher. There, he has put in a sound-proof booth with windows all the way around, so that the employee can see everything, but is protected from the noise.

With only a few farms and ranches in the area, there are no issues with the community, but Iddings is still aware of his neighbors. “I’m working into the side of a hill on a limestone ridge, which is a natural noise barrier,” he says.

“My crushers are on the west side of the hill, and the prevailing wind is out of the west,” he adds. “The noise from the crusher blows into the side of the hill, and then up and over. So nobody else is exposed to that noise.”

Cubee the AggMan helping educate children about the importance of aggregate since 1998 “The Story of Cubee the Aggregate” helps teach children at the youngest ages about the important role aggregate plays in their daily lives. Geared for students in grades K-3, Cubee and his aggregate friends will take children on a magical journey from Cubee’s birthplace in the neighborhood quarry to his new home in the schools, roads and other structures that enrich our communities and our lives.

The “You’re on Rock” Workbook presents basic earth science information while emphasizing the vital role of the industry in our world. An aggregate activity book for junior geologists, mining engineers and earth scientists. Geared for students in grades 4-6.

Cubee the AggMan T-Shirts are available.

To learn more about these great tools for community outreach, adopt-a-school programs, and receive sample copies of the coloring/workbooks,

Call 800-430-4540 e-mail: cubee@aggman.com

or visit www.AggMan.com

EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT

by Brian Prenatt, P.E.

Filter Press

101 F

ilter presses are becoming one of the most popular methods of processing and dewatering tailings. In the aggregates industry, there are several factors that have driven the need for these pieces of equipment.

First, it has become more difficult to get permits for new settling ponds due to changes in regulation and permitting processes. Second is the issue of space. Many facilities are running out of space, and, often, settling ponds do not fit expansion plans because they prevent access to and use of useable product. Finally, producers are looking to create drier cakes and use fewer chemicals to reduce operating costs,

22

AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

As filter presses gain popularity among producers, it’s important to understand the basics on how to operate and maintain them.

leading them to look into replacing belt presses with newer style filter presses that can often achieve the needed drier product while using fewer chemicals.

How they work At its most basic level, the filtration cycle of a filter press consists of covering two plates with filter media, applying enough force to create a seal between the two filter plates, and then using a feed pump to supply the pressure necessary to pump the slurry into the cavities formed between the two sealed plates. The filter cloth prevents solids from escaping from the plates, while allowing the filtrate to

pass through the openings in the filter media. Once the chamber is packed full of solids, the feed pump stops, the pressure sealing the plates is released, and the filter plates are pulled apart from each other, allowing the dewatered cakes to discharge via gravity.

It is a common misconception that filter presses squeeze plates in order to dewater the cakes. In actuality, there is no movement of the press during the dewatering of the filter cakes. Plates connect together to form a seal, and the feed pump supplies the necessary pressure to dewater the fine solids. The only movements of the press during operation are typically for opening

Slurry is pumped into the cavity between sealed plates. The filter cloth keeps solids inside the plates, while filtrate passes through. Once the chamber is full of solids, the plates separate and allow the dewatered cakes to fall below.

the press to discharge the cakes and closing the press to start another cycle.

The simplicity and limited movement of filter presses is what lends them to high levels of automation and reliability.

The ability to select cycle times, cake thickness, feed pressures, and plate styles are what allow filter presses to achieve much drier cakes than many competing technologies.

Filter press operation is a batch process, and when asked about the capacity of the press, we must answer that the capacity is strictly a function of the cycle time. Each press comes with a finite volume to form cakes. Shorter cycle times (the time it takes to go from start to start) are promoted by: • Optimizing cake thickness – Thinner cakes form quicker than thicker ones.

• Higher permeability of solids – The easier it is for water to pass through the cake, the quicker the filtration stage.

• Optimum cake moistures – If 18 percent moisture is achievable in 40 minutes, is 20 percent after perhaps 30 minutes acceptable?

• Higher feed solids concentrations – The less water to push through the cake, the more rapid cake formation.

• Faster opening and closing – Discharging cakes and resetting the press for the next fill stage can play a big role in press capacity on a tons-perhour basis.

Once again, testing of your material

is always a good place to start when looking at recessed plate filter presses.

Most manufacturers have facilities for inhouse testing to determine filtration times and moistures as a function of feed solids concentration and cake width.

Types of filter presses Filter presses are frequently categorized into two main styles each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Overhead beam – Denoting a press in which the filter plates hang from overhead beams. Key features include the following: • No parts on the sides of the press, providing unobstructed access to change filter cloths on the press without plate removal; • Much wider plate openings, often exceeding 3 feet between the plates, creating more movement to aid cake release, while also allowing easier access for cloth washing and inspection; and • Dynamic loads are typically isolated from the beams of the press using tension shafts in various configurations.

Side beam – Denoting a press in which the filter plates are supported by beams running along the side of the press. Key features include the following: • Easier to implement shaking systems for applications requiring shaking systems; • Lower upfront cost; and • Less access to plates for cloth washing and inspection. Automatic wash

systems should be considered more heavily with side beam style presses due to limited plate access.

Maintenance As with any capital equipment, a successful maintenance program begins well before the first change of oil. No matter how large a maintenance budget is or how highly skilled the maintenance crew is, it is too difficult to overcome the challenges of an improperly sized filter press or a poorly planned facility. In batch processes like that of the filter press operation, the process can be small batches with a high number of cycles or large batches with fewer cycles to achieve the same output capacity. The later lends itself to lower maintenance cost, but it may have higher capital cost.

Under sizing of filter presses will result in high inlet velocities that cause excessive wear on the feed pipes, filter cloths, and, eventually, filter plates. Inlet velocities should be considered when selecting filter cloth styles and cloth materials with their relative replacement cost associated with each. Under sizing of the filter press also causes excessive opening and closing speeds resulting in high wear and tear on those corresponding components. It is also imperative that slurries be tested to properly select a filter press for optimal performance and low maintenance cost.

Just as important as a properly sized filter press, the facility in which it is installed greatly affects the maintainability AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

23

EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT

In an overhead beam design, filter presses hang from overhead beams.

They offer more room to change filter cloths and more movement to facilitate the release of cakes.

of the filter press. When planning a facility for a filter press, consideration should be given to clearances required for replacing components, the ability to deliver components/material to the filter press, and lift capabilities designed to meet the specific tasks. Walkways, railings, harness tie-offs, and access platforms can be incorporated in the facility design to facilitate maintaining the equipment in a safe manner. Also, the designer should be aware that typical filter plates of polypropylene and cloth media can degrade with exposure to sunlight, therefore enclosing the sides and roof must be considered.

Ultimately, regardless of the filter press type and size, close cooperation with the end user, facility engineer and OEM will achieve a properly designed facility that facilitates good, safe maintenance practices.

Once the proper selection of the filter press and a well-planned facility is achieved the maintenance of the filter press is routine.

Filter cloth maintenance: • Should be checked for tears and rips at least once per shift; • Should be checked for cleanliness at

24

AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

In a side beam design, filter plates are supported by beams running along the side of the press. They feature a lower capital cost, but may require an automtic wash system.

least once per week and washed as needed, ensuring material does not build up between filter plate and filter cloth; and • An automatic wash system can be installed on applications that require frequent washing.

Filter plate maintenance: • Should be checked weekly or if filter cloths tear or rip for wear; • Filter plates can be repaired if damage is small; and • Filter plates can be replaced through the bottom, top, or side depending on the type and configuration of the filter press.

Filter plate hangers, wheels maintenance: • Should be checked weekly for operating alignment and wear; and • Bolts should be checked periodically and tightened as needed.

Filter plate opening mechanism/chain maintenance: • Chain should be lubricated weekly or as needed depending on environmental conditions; and • Chain should be checked weekly for proper tension.

Hydraulic power unit maintenance: • Change filters as needed or after every

oil change; • Perform oil testing every six months; and • Check calibration of pressure indicators and relief valves yearly.

Lubrication: • Lubricate bearings and change oil per the OEM recommended lube schedule.

Feed pump maintenance: • Check gland water condition, level, flow, and pressure every shift; • Check lubrication of bearings weekly; and • Perform condition monitoring of pump weekly.

Winterization An important maintenance task to discuss is winterization of the filter press. Producers operating in cold climates need to take the damage that ice can cause seriously.

Although many of the filter presses are under roof, freezing can still occur, causing damage to equipment.

• Slurry feed pumps should be opened, cleaned, and drained; • Gland system for feed pumps should be opened, cleaned, and drained; • All piping should be opened, cleaned, and drained; • All valves should be opened, cleaned,

For operators who need to dewater tailings, filter presses offer an attractive alternative to settling ponds.

and drained; • Filter cloths and plates should be washed leaving no mud between cloth and filter plates;

• Filter cloths and plates should be as dry as possible prior to closing mobile plate; • Mobile plates should be closed against

filter plate stack, but not fully pressurized; • Threads and machined surfaces, such as cylinder rods, should be protected against rust and corrosion; • Cloth washing systems need to be drained, cleaned, and blown dry; • Bay doors should be cleaned and placed in the closed and locked position; and • Filter plate chain opening mechanism should oiled and covered if it could become exposed to the elements; and • Hydraulic power units should topped off with oil; oil should be replaced during spring start-up.

With proper selection, operation, and maintenance, a filter press can create an economic advantage for operators dealing with tailings. AM Brian Prenatt, P.E., is the general manager of water tailings management for McLanahan Corp.

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SUPPLYLINES

by Therese Dunphy | Editor-in-Chief | tdunphy@randallreilly.com

Crushed It! When it comes to primary crushing, producers have lots of options to meet their operation’s specific needs.

Combo crushing and screening plant Eagle Crusher says its 1400-45 CCS is one of the most versatile crushing and screening systems on the market. The system combines a 1400-45 open-circuit plant with a side-discharge conveyor, a 6- x 20-foot screening plant with an integrated feed conveyor, return conveyor with a cleated belt, and three radial stacking conveyors. Designed to replace large crushing and screening systems, the unit is said to feature maximum portability with ease of operation and service.

Producers may use the portable impactor plant and screening plant separately or combined to produce numerous products.

Eagle Crusher | www.eaglecrusher.com

Self-contained impactor plant Irock Crushers’s RDS-15 Horizontal Impact Crushing Plant features a rapid deployment system for ease of transportation and quick set-up. Powered by a Cat C-9 Acert Tier 3 engine, the plant is self-contained, with on-board power supplying full plant operation. It also features three outlets for supplying optional auxiliary conveyors to sort and stack material. A P.T. electronic hydraulic clutch is said to reduce power loss and increase fuel efficiency.

Irock Crushers | www.irockcrushers.com

Jaw plant offers smooth, even feed Kleemann’s new Mobicat MC 100 R EVO jaw crusher features compact size and a high-performance vibratory feeder with integrated grizzly. The 7- by nearly 3-foot feeder and grizzly can receive up to 221 tons per hour of feed, with a top size of 36 by 20 inches. The unit weighs 33 tons, making it easy to move. The feeding unit is integrated on the chassis, so there is no need to fold hopper walls. The company’s Continuous Feed System manages even loading of the crusher area. The unit is powered by a Tier 4 Final Deutz engine.

Kleemann | www.wirtgenamerica.com

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AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

Suitable for sand and gravel applications KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens expanded its Vanguard product line with the new, more compact 2056 Vanguard Jaw. The 20- by 56-inch jaw crusher is said to be ideal for sand and gravel applications and excels in recycled concrete and mining applications. Significant changes include a new single cylinder auto-tension system, which offers less maintenance, increased reliability, and reduced wear part consumption. The crusher’s new wear seat provides easy access and increased uptime, while a new corrugated stationary wedge increases the crusher gap and maintains a steep nip angle, providing less slippage and lowering the wear costs by providing longer jaw die life. Its unique flywheel retention system secures the flywheel in place, providing reliability and longevity.

KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens | www.kpijci.com

Cone offers optimal production The McLanahan Symons Principle (MSP) Cone Crusher is said to deliver minimal downtime processing optimal amounts of material, ultimately leading to a faster return on investment. Utilizing improved factors of performance such as balanced eccentric, higher speeds, fulcrum point position, and stroke to enhance the Symons Principle, the MSP creates torque and resultant crushing forces that McLanahan says are as effective as any cone crusher on the market. The eccentric stroke is designed to work with the eccentric speed and fulcrum position to produce higher yields and minimize recirculating loads.

McLanahan Corp. | www.mclanahan.com

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SUPPLYLINES High-capacity jaw crushing Metso’s Nordberg C130 jaw crusher has a 21-percent larger cavity volume in comparison to previous models in this size class. The larger cavity volume means that more rock or ore is in the crushing process at one time. The increased volume, combined with the extra-large feed opening, ensures high-capacity primary crushing in all demanding quarrying and mining applications. The new C130 features pinned-and-bolted design for reliability, long life, and easy service. Metso says reliability, crushing efficiency in stationary and mobile applications, and uncompromising safety and ease of use have been the key parameters while designing this jaw novelty.

Metso Minerals Industries, Inc. | www.metso.com

Jaw plant has onboard intelligence system Sandvik says the UJ440i mobile jaw crusher is a high-quality, robust unit, which incorporates a jaw size of 48 by 32 inches for highest rates of production in its class. Operator benefits are said to include trouble-free operation thanks to the on-board integrated ‘intelligence’ system. Applications include aggregate production, surface mining, quarried rock, and recycling of construction materials. The model is very versatile and can be offered in three different variants: • Comfort - Grizzly feeder, • Classic - Grizzly feeder and live under screen, and • Trend - Pan feeder and live pre-screen.

Sandvik Construction | www.construction.sandvik.com

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It’s only $35 US in the USA and Canada, $45 US all others. To join, call us at 419-352-5616, or mail a check or money order to HCEA, 16623 Liberty Hi Road, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402.

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AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

Untitled-38 1

10/22/15 1:27 PM

VSI has low energy costs The Stedman Machine Co. V-Slam VSI is designed for coarse-to-fine crushing needs. Low horsepower per ton of throughput minimizes operating costs. Models of the vertical shaft impactor range from 125 to 700 horsepower, with production rates of 15 to 500 tons per hour. Reversible wear parts reduce downtime by more than 50 percent. The unit can handle feed sizes up to 5 inches with no screens or grates. The patented tubular rotor is said to provide many benefits over standard shoe and anvil designs, as well as rock-shelf applications.

Stedman Machine Co. | www.stedman-machine.com

Suitable for demanding conditions The new Terex JW55 jaw crusher is said to be a high production, heavy-duty machine capable of handling the most demanding crushing conditions. The manufacturer says heavy-duty components provide optimum operation, long life, low maintenance, and low operating costs. The jaw crusher features a quick-change jaw die wedge system and a rapid, fully hydraulic, closed-side setting adjustment system, which requires no shims. The jaw boasts a large 32- by 55-inch feed opening. Terex MPS says the jaw crusher offers big production at a low cost per ton. Static and wheeled plant models are available.

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AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

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02.07.15 3/10/16 3:1521:05 PM

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE THAT RUNS DEEP Aggregates Manager celebrates two decades of amplifying the successes of every strata of the aggregates industry from crushed stone, sand & gravel operators to equipment manufacturers and dealers, and providers of services and supplies. Aggregates Manager has provided knowledgable support to the aggregates industry through key editorial coverage, timely expert analysis, and fostering a constantly active online community. We, at Aggregates Manager, look forward to delivering the vital information that streamlines your operations in 2016 and beyond.

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by Dana M. Svendsen

ROCKLAW Get Ready for MSHA’s New Inspection Focus Coming spring and summer 2016: More attention to machinery and inspection hazards.

T

Dana M. Svendsen is a member in Jackson Kelly PLLC’s Denver office, practicing in the Occupational Safety and Health Practice Group. She can be reached at 303-390-0011 or dmsvendsen@ jacksonkelly.com.

he Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) recently reviewed the accidents and injuries which occurred in the metal/non-metal mining industry in the past five years and observed that 16 miners were killed in accidents involving machinery and non-haulage mobile and quarry equipment. Many more miners suffered serious injuries in these types of accidents. As a result, MSHA issued an alert to all metal/non-metal mine operators. With the assistance of MSHA’s Alliance partner, the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, MSHA and Neal Merrifield, administrator for Metal and Non-metal Mine Safety and Health, circulated a Machinery and Equipment Hazards alert in February 2016.

The alert summarizes those fatal accidents which occurred under circumstances including: struck by machinery or non-haulage mobile and quarry equipment they or a co-worker were operating; drowning when the equipment overturned into water; and being caught in or between certain equipment such as crushers, drill steel, or reciprocating machinery. Of the 16 persons fatally injured, six were supervisors and three were contractors. The equipment involved represented a wide variety of mining equipment: drills, dozers, excavators, graders, dredges, and crushers. Mechanical equipment, tools, and other machinery also have the potential to pose several hazards to miners including: pinch points, wrap points, shear points, crush points, pull-in points, and

the potential for objects to be thrown from the equipment.

The alert reminds operators of some compliance requirements and offers a variety of common sense suggestions and best practices to help eliminate these types of accidents.

• Operators should maintain control of mobile equipment while it is in motion and operate at speeds consistent with conditions of mine roadways, tracks, grades, clearance, visibility, and traffic.

• When mobile equipment is not in motion, it must be stopped in a safe location and, when not attended, parked in a manner that prevents it from moving and becoming a hazard to the operator or other miners.

• Mine supervisors and equipment operators need to continuously monitor and maintain roadways and berms.

• When operating excavators, position the equipment as far from any drop-offs as feasible on firm, stable ground.

• Miners need to recognize work place hazards and stay clear of normal paths of travel for mobile equipment.

• When planning for non-routine tasks, miners should conduct a risk analysis before starting the task to ensure that all hazards are evaluated and eliminated.

• Equipment operators should always wear a seat belt when operating mobile equipment and should never jump from mobile equipment.

AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

31

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ROCKLAW MSHA’s home page, contains a link to the 16 Fatalgrams, • Before moving mobile equipment, operators should providing miner operators with an easily accessible referlook in the direction of travel, as well as use all mirrors, ence tool for discussions with miners during safety meetings. cameras, backup alarms, and installed proximity detecThe alert also provided several examples of specific hazards, tion devices to ensure no one is in the intended path. which resulted in injury to miners, including the following: • Operators should block bladed equipment, such as doz• Debris flew into the eye of a miner while using a grinders, against motion by lowering the blade or ripper to er on the crusher liner; the ground, setting the parking brake, and ensuring that • A miner was diagnosed with ultraviolet keratitis, or sunthe transmission is in neutral. burn of the eye, after using a torch without eye protec• Operators should exercise caution to not traverse untion; and stable ground above a highwall, as well as staying off • An excavator bucket struck and crushed a haul truck and away from over-steepened stockpiles until they can driver who exited the vehicle as it was being loaded. be made safe.

Bottom line: MSHA is bringing heightened focus on • Mechanics and electricians should ensure that machinmachinery and equipment hazards to its inspections. As a ery is powered off and secured against hazardous motion before performing any repairs or maintenance. They result, mine operators should expect MSHA inspectors to take a closer look at how miners are using machinery and need to consider all energy hazards including electrical, equipment and evaluate whether proper examinations and mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems. pre-operational checks on mobile equipment are being per• Haul truck operators should remain in their trucks while formed. You should be prepared for MSHA inspectors to have they are being loaded. increased focus on these areas when they come to inspect • When locking and tagging out equipment, miners your mine sites this spring and summer and anticipate MSHA should use individual locks and tags. Personnel should inspectors wanting to discuss these topics with miners, sunot remove locks that are not their own. pervisors, and contractors during the inspections. AM • Mine operators should ensure that any emergency stop switches, panic bars, dead-man devices, tethers, slap bars, rope switches, two-handed controls, and spring-loaded controls are functional and in easily accessible locations.

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AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

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1/20/16 9:47 AM

ADINDEX April 2016

Advertiser

Web

Aggregates Manager Community Outreach

www.aggman.com/community-outreach

21

AZFAB, LLC

www.azfab.com

25

Beka-Max of America, Inc.

www.beka-lube.com

33

Bill Langer - Research Geologist

www.researchgeologist.com

29

C.L. Dews & Sons Foundry

www.dewsfoundry.com

35

Clearspan Fabric Structures

www.clearspan.com/adam

35

Elrus Aggregate System

www.elrus.com

Great American Truck Show

www.gatsonline.com

32

Hazemag USA, Inc.

www.hazemag.com

BC

HCEA

www.hcea.net

28

Kespry, Inc.

www.kespry.com/aggregates

8

KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens

www.kpijci.com

2

Kruse Integration

www.kruseintegration.com

35

McLanahan Corp.

www.mclanahan.com

15

Minexpo 2016 International

www.minexpo.com

16

NSSGA Young Leaders

www.nssga.org

10

Progressive Commercial Insurance

www.progressivecommercial.com

27

Pugmill Systems, Inc.

www.pugmillsystems.com

35

Sandvik Construction Mobile Crushers & Screens USA

www.construction.sandvik.com/vsi

IFC

Snoby Separation Systems, LLC

www.snobyllc.com

29

Stedman Machine Co.

www.stedman-machine.com/impact

35

Stockpile Reports

www.stockpilereports.com

Vertex Railcar Corp.

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This index is provided as a service. The publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions.

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CARVED IN STONE

Bill Langer is a consulting research geologist who spent 41 years with the U.S. Geological Survey before starting his own business. He can be reached at Bill_Langer@hotmail.com

The Mendenhall Glacier

A lot can happen during a geologic blink of an eye.

D

uring the summer of 1974, four of my colleagues at the U.S. Geological Survey and I spent the summer studying modern glaciers in Alaska. One of the glaciers we visited was the Mendenhall Glacier, located about 12 miles from Juneau. The Mendenhall is a lake-terminating, calving glacier. That is geology-speak meaning the glacier terminates (ends) in a lake where large chunks of ice calve (break Mendenhall Glacier, 1974. off) from the glacier and float off as icebergs.

When people talk in geologic time, a generation (about 25 years) is a blink of an eye. Sometimes, a lot can happen during that blink.

My parents were born in 1913. The world was just coming out of the Little Ice Age, a cold climate period from the early 14th century through the mid-19th century when mountain glaciers around the world, including Alaska, grew tremendously. From about 1750 until just before my parents’ birthdays, the Mendenhall appeared to stand still. This was because the forward movement of the ice front (due to the accumulation of snow and ice in the Juneau Ice Field) had been about the same as the ablation (sublimation, calving, and melting of ice) at the front of the glacier. The advancing ice acted like a giant conveyor belt carrying large amounts of dirt to the front of the ice. As the front of the ice melted, the dirt the ice was carrying was deposited as gigantic piles of boulders, gravel, sand, silt, and clay called a moraine complex.

The Mendenhall Glacier began to retreat during the warmer climate following my parents’ birthdays. The moraine complex dammed meltwater from the glacier, forming Lake Mendenhall. As the glacier continued to retreat, the lake became longer and longer.

From the time my parents were born to when my wife, Pam, and I were born (circa 1947), the ice retreated 1.2 miles, or about 186 feet per year. From our birthdays to the birth of Kimberly and Rob (our daughter and son-in-law circa 1970), the ice front retreated about 0.3 miles; a much slower rate of about 69 feet per year.

Then the ice began melting faster. By the start of the next generation (Donovan and Delaney circa 2004), the glacier had retreated another 0.6 miles, or about 93 feet per year. Since then, the rate of retreat has continued to accelerate, and by 2014, the ice front retreated another 0.5 miles or 240 feet per year. Overall, the glacier has retreated 2.6 miles in 100 years; about 137 feet per year.

I have projected where the ice front might be if and when Donovan or Delaney Retreat of Mendenhall Glacier, by generation.

Aerial image taken 2014. have kids. Maybe they will take them to the Mendenhall Glacier to see what can happen in the blink of an eye.

Author’s note: If you ever get to Juneau, you should stop by the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. You can plan your trip by visiting www.mendenhallglacier.net.

36

AGGREGATES MANAGER / April 2016

• • • •

TM

To learn more visit: www.elrus.com, email: info@elrus.com or call 888-535-7877