Global geology PG3 | Cooling helmet pads PG6 | Suspended load violation PG28
August 2018 | www.AggMan.com
Your guide to profitable production
8 20
Lessons on improvisation from the crew of ‘Gold Rush’
Strategies for optimizing portable plant uptime
Hyundai launches its HL960 HD wheel loader.
PAGE 6 On Our Cover: Bull Run Quarry expanded its operation to a 5 million ton-per-year site. Cover photo courtesy of Luck Stone Corp.
Planned maintenance is the key to optimum uptime.
PAGE 20
TABLE OF CONTENTS AUGUST 2018 |
VOLUME 23, NUMBER 8
COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS FEATURE ARTICLES
8
High-Stakes Gold Mining in the Yukon ‘Gold Rush’ mining crews maintain uptime with the motto ‘gouge it out, weld it up, make it work.’
20 Productive Portable Crushers
A proactive operator and solid preventive maintenance plan are the keys to uptime.
Web Exclusive Benchmarking Hydraulic Dredge Performance How can an operator tell when the dredge is performing? Follow this guidance.
OPERATIONS ILLUSTRATED
15
Best Practices for Pit Expansion
Consider automation, ease of maintenance, safety, and the ability to crush for yield when expanding your operation.
3 Editorial Geology on the go. 4 Data Mining The latest financial analysis of issues impacting in the industry and Aggregates Manager’s exclusive aggregates industry outlook. 6 RollOuts DSC Dredge’s new Sharkuda dredge design concept, and other new equipment for the aggregates market. 28 Rock Law FMSHRC finds a suspended load violation when a miner’s presence under a crane’s spreader bar is not part of rigging. 30 Advertiser Index See who’s who and where to find their products. 31 Classified Ads Aggregates industry classifieds. 32 Carved in Stone Technology has sped up the process of translating geologic maps into aggregate potential maps.
August 2018
EDITORIAL
Vol. 23, No. 8
by Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief, tdunphy@randallreilly.com
aggman.com /AggregatesManager /AggManEditor
Editorial Editor-in-Chief: Therese Dunphy Editorial Director: Marcia Gruver Doyle
Geology on the Go
Senior Editor: Kerry Clines Online Editor: Wayne Grayson editorial@aggman.com
Design & Production Art Director: Sandy Turner, Jr. Production Designer: Timothy Smith Advertising Production Manager: Leah Boyd production@aggman.com
Construction Media Vice President, Construction Media: Joe Donald sales@randallreillyconstruction.com
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A
funny thing happened during summer travels: I realized that I’ve developed a deep appreciation for geology that follows me wherever I go. After traveling to the Hillhead Quarry show in Buxton, England, my oldest son and I spent a few days in Ireland exploring the coast where we had plenty of opportunity to appreciate some geologic masterpieces. First, we traveled to the Cliffs of Moher, which was at the top of my bucket list. Comprised of sandstone, siltstone, and shale the 500-foot cliffs run for miles, creating breathtaking scenery. Then, we went to the Burren National Park where weathered limestone creates a desolate looking environment. Despite its craggy surface, three quarters of the plants native to Ireland can be found there — including 23 different species of orchids. After exploring the western coast, we traveled to Northern Ireland. First, we crossed the Carrick-arede rope bridge to a tiny island where we could spot Scotland off in the distance. The view was well worth the 15,000 steps and equivalent of 29 flights of stairs it took to get there, but the complete lack of guarding would make an MSHA inspector cringe. Next, we traveled to the Giant’s Causeway. A local guide told us it was the remnants of a causeway built by the giant Finn MacCool, who challenged a Scottish giant, Benandonner, to a fight. When Finn realized how big his opponent was, he scrambled back to his home where his wife plucked a bonnet on his head and tucked him into a cradle. When Benandonner saw the “infant,” he feared how big his father must be and ran across the causeway, destroying it as he crossed back to Scotland. The local color made for great entertainment, but I explained to my son that volcanic activity caused the basalt columns to shoot to the surface and contraction during cooling fractured it into the hexagonal columns that looked like thousands of stairs dotting the coast. Whether along the coasts of Ireland or your own highwall, take a moment to appreciate the beauty of geology in our world. AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
3
mining
Company Cemex, S.A.B. de C.V.
Diesel Fuel
Prices 7/2/18
United States $3.236 One Week +0.020 One Year +0.764
New England $3.282 One Week +0.001 One Year +0.704
Central Atlantic $3.390 One Week +0.010 One Year +0.719
Lower Atlantic $3.102 One Week +0.016 One Year +0.695
Midwest $3.171 One Week +0.028 One Year +0.768
Gulf Coast $3.002 One Week +0.024 One Year +0.695
Rocky Mountain $3.358 One Week +0.037 One Year +0.773
West Coast $3.764 One Week +0.011 One Year +0.987
West Coast less California $3.475 One Week +0.022 One Year +0.847
California $3.960 One Week +0.001 One Year +1.094 Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (dollars per gallon, prices include all taxes).
$6.97
$5.72
52-Week High $10.37
CRG
$35.97
$30.87
$38.62
EXP
$105.91
$86.51
$122.49
Granite Construction Inc.
GVA
$56.13
$47.05
$68.58
HEI
$85.30
$83.14
$112.93
$9.48
$9.43
$12.59
HCMLY
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.
MLM
$226.00
$189.27
$241.33
MDU Resources Group, Inc.
MDU
$29.21
$24.29
$29.62
Summit Materials
SUM
$27.09
$24.49
$34.06
United States Lime & Minerals, Inc.
USLM
$79.70
$70.56
$101.40
U.S. Concrete
USCR
$51.55
$49.00
$86.35
Vulcan Materials Co.
VMC
$129.43
$108.17
$141.20
Source: Wall Street Journal Market Watch. Currency conversion calculated on date of close 07/05/18.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
East Coast $3.226 One Week +0.011 One Year +0.704
52-Week Low
Eagle Materials Inc.
LafargeHolcim Ltd. ADR
On-Highway
CX
Current Value
CRH plc
HeidelbergCement AG
U.S.
Ticker
B
ased on growth in cement volumes, LafargeHolcim (HCMLY) reports an increase in net sales of 3.1 percent in the first quarter. “Q1 was a good start to the year,” says Jan Jenisch, group CEO. “The continued growth in the top line is encouraging and confirms the positive outlook for our businesses. Though the quarter was affected by several headwinds, we expect the strength of our portfolio and the benefits of our new strategy to become increasingly visible over the full year. That makes us confident we will deliver on our 2018 targets (net sales growth of 3 to 5 percent).” According to the LafargeHolcim (HCMLY) company’s quarterly statement, broad trends from the end of 2017 continued into the first quarter of 2018. These include top and bottom line growth in Latin America, a strong performance in China and India, and good underlying demand, but poor weather, in Europe. In North America, the company enjoyed good market conditions despite a harsh winter. Market growth is anticipated, based on residential and non-residential demand. In the first quarter, the North America business sold 3.2 million tons of cement, a 1.3-percent decrease against the same period in 2017. Aggregate sales of 14 million tons were down 2.9 percent from the prior year. Ready-mix sales of 1.7 million cubic meters were up 7.1 percent over the prior year, but down 4.5 percent on a like-for-like basis. Overall sales of $874 million were down 4.3 percent against the prior year (a 3.0-percent decline on a like-for-like basis). In March, LafargeHolcim launched Strategy 2022, “Building for Growth.” Since then, it has made a bolt-on acquisition in aggregates and ready-mixed concrete in the UK. In addition, expansion plans for markets in India and Argentina are being implemented. “We are executing our Strategy 2022,” Jenisch says. “Our new organization is getting us closer to our markets, and we are making good headway on simplifying our business, a critical factor in the future success of LafargeHolcim.” Source: Market Watch
Data
STOCK REPORT
AGGREGATES INDUSTRY OUTLOOK The July Aggregates Industry Index dipped 0.06 percent from June to 132.16. Responses to questions regarding the annual outlook were flat regarding the respondent’s own company, but down 2.4 percent for the industry as a whole. Responses for monthly aggregates sales were essentially flat (-0.3 percent). Expectations for the quarter (+2.4 percent), half (+2.6 percent), and year (+2.6 percent) showed optimism for the remainder of the year, despite ongoing frustrations on infrastructure spending.
Aggregates Industry Outlook 150 135.14
145 129.35
134.60
140
132.22
128.38
135
138.44
130
133.44
125
133.61
134.72 132.16
129.36
138.89
121.69
120 115 110 105 100 July 2017
Aug. 2017
Sept. 2017
Oct. 2017
Nov. 2017
Dec. 2017
Jan. 2018
Feb. 2018
March 2018
April 2018
May 2018
June 2018
July 2018
Business is GOOD. Logistics seems to be somewhat of a challenge, but overall, things are rolling along.
While the money for this year’s federal transportation program is finally funded, the lack of action on an infrastructure plan by T&I on Capitol Hill is very frustrating.
— Van Stockstill, President, Consolidated Aggregates
— Bill Schmitz, Vice President – Quality Control and Sales, Gernatt Asphalt Products, Inc.
Californians passed Prop 69 in June to help keep our fuel taxes earmarked for transportation infrastructure spending and not get diverted to other government projects. — Deric Harrington, Production Manager, Specialty Granules, LLC
As maintenance for existing infrastructure needs continues, I see an upward shift in production and sales for the next three months. (Barring) any unforeseen weather events, demand could outpace supply for large producers. — Jill Shackelford, President, Jill Shackelford Consulting
Oil prices continue to raise and feed frac sand production, plant expansions, and new geology surveys. Heavy rains and floods have increased road base aggregates and asphalt aggregate demand for the current and next months. Customers do not see this demand continuing beyond six months. — Jason Hurdis, Senior Market Professional, Caterpillar
Editor’s note: To join our panel, email Editor-in-Chief Therese Dunphy at tdunphy@randallreilly.com.
QUARTERLY CRUSHED STONE & SAND AND GRAVEL REPORT Region/Division
Northeast: Midwest:
South:
West:
New England Middle Atlantic East North Central West North Central South Atlantic East South Central West South Central Mountain Pacific TOTAL
Quantity Crushed Stone 1st qtr. 2018 2,660
Percent change
17,700
-4.6
6,200
-11.4
28,800
-8.8
10,600
-7.1
19,600
-8
8,700
-8.4
66,500
-1.6
16,200
5.1
26,000
-3.2
4,390
-8.3
53,400
-3.2
28,400
2.5
13,900
1.7
34,700
18.6
16,600
27.5
31,200
25.1
256,000
-2.1
165,000
7.1
2.0
Quantity sand and gravel 1st qtr. 2018* 1,460
* thousand metric tons
Percent change 5.5
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
ROLLOUTS
Your complete guide to new and updated equipment and supplies in the aggregates industry.
by Therese Dunphy | Editor-in-Chief | tdunphy@randallreilly.com
New dredge design concept DSC Dredge debuts a new dredge design concept that borrows from its existing Shark Class Dredge, as well as its Barracuda Class Dredge. The new Sharkuda design includes two provisional patents: walking carriages and a wide-format swinging ladder. The concept allows for continuous, uninterrupted production representing time savings, cost savings, and safety advantages, the company says, because the dredge moves without cables. The unit is powered by either a 500- to 1,200-horsepower Cat diesel engine or an AC electric power and can dredge to depths of 43 feet. It features a hull-mounted, heavy-duty dredge pump and a PLC operating system.
DSC Dredge | www.dscdredge.com
Cooling helmet pad MPS, Inc. rolls out the Kalis Dry Cooling Helmet Pad from Centurion Safety Products, Inc. The helmet pad cools for three days without recharging and installs easily into most hardhats with suspensions. By adding 1.5 ounces of water, the pad’s proprietary fabric promotes evaporation and cools more than 20 degrees below ambient temperatures. It remains dry during use and does not require refrigeration, freezing, or submersion to activate. The helmet pad should recharge more than 700 times before degradation, giving it an estimated life span of up to five years.
MPS, Inc. | www.go-mpsinc.com
Electronic ticket management system Command Alkon introduces BuildIt, an electronic ticket management system that automates manual processes. It can eliminate dependence on paper tickets that may be illegible and easily misplaced. It was developed for the HBM ecosystem to address the challenges that current methods for tracking materials and truck assets create. Each electronic transaction ensures that both parties view the same data. Buyers can efficiently reconcile accepted goods and services against invoices, permitting quicker payment to their suppliers and quicker month-end closings. BuildIt integrates with Command Alkon’s TrackIt GPS and Telematics solution. Using TrackIt in conjunction with BuildIt permits real-time tracking of on-site third-party trucks and supplier deliveries.
Command Alkon | www.commandalkon.com
6
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
Conveyor component catalog Superior Industries, Inc. published a new conveyor component accessories catalog. The 50-page catalog includes data related to part numbers, measurements, weights, replacement data, and more. Offerings include Exterra Belt Cleaners, Impact Beds, Transition Zone Solutions, Belt Covers, Sensors and Scales, Auto Greasers, and Safety Solutions. The catalog can be downloaded at bit. ly/2rlFSGw.
Superior Industries www.superior-ind.com
Heavy-duty loader Hyundai launches the HL960 HD wheel loader, with an operating weight of 42,549 pounds. Powered by a Stage 4 Cummins QSB6.7 electronically controlled diesel engine, it has 222 net horsepower. The loader was designed with a heavy-duty axle with enhanced load capacity for durability. The maximum load capacity is 97,003 pounds at the front and 77,162 pounds at the rear. The loader has an auto shutdown feature when it enters the idling state. The standard five-speed transmission with Lock-up Clutch also helps improve fuel efficiency. Joystick controls for boom, bucket, and third hydraulic line are standard. An improved bucket design features wider opening, curved side plates, and enhanced spill guard to maximize its 4.3-cubic-yard bucket capacity. The ROPS/FOPS cab is 10 percent larger than before and has a fully adjustable seat. The new cabin is fully sound-proofed and air conditioned. A 7-inch-wide screen monitor is larger than in previous models.
Hyundai Construction Equipment | www.hceamericas.com
High temperature level detectors Dynatrol Bulk Solids DJ7T High Temperature Level Indicators are designed for high, intermediate, or low point level detection in hostile, high-temperature environments. They have no moving parts and require no adjustments. The rugged design ensures reliable level measurement for applications that include sand, gravel, rock, crushed stone, crushed dolomite, and more. Said to work well in dusty applications, the units are factory calibrated and require no field calibration.
Automation Products, Inc. www.dynatrolusa.com
REDUCE
www.kpijci.com
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
7
APPLICATIONS
High-Stakes Gold Mining
in the Yukon
With millions on the line, ‘Gold Rush’ mining crews maintain uptime with the motto “gouge it out, weld it up, make it work.”
G
old mining is a numbers game, and it’s all about pulling the most gold from the ground. This requires running equipment as much as possible to move as much dirt as possible. More yardage equals more gold. For the mining crews featured on the Discovery Channel’s hit show “Gold Rush,” mining is often a 24/7 operation during the short mining season — with millions of dollars on the line. A broken piece of equipment can mean the difference between a 5-ounce day and a 50-ounce day — which equates to a $5,000 day versus a $50,000 day — for claim bosses Tony Beets and Parker Schnabel. Time is money, and downtime is the enemy. “In the last three seasons, we’ve recovered over 10,000
8
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
ounces of gold. With today’s prices, that’s just short of $13 million bucks,” says Mitch Blaschke, lead mechanic for the Schnabel mining crew. “If you want to do those kinds of numbers, you need equipment that you can count on, and you have to prevent downtime.”
Life in the Yukon “Gold Rush,” the Discovery Channel’s highest-rated show watched by millions each Friday, is now in its eighth season of chronicling the struggles and successes of mining crews in the Klondike region of the Yukon Territory. Schnabel and his team mined a season-record 4,311 ounces of gold during season seven. Pulling in that amount of gold is not an easy task. Mining
As production goals rise with each season of Gold Rush, the crews must implement new and more efficient technologies to maximize production.
SIZE in the Yukon Hills presents a variety of challenges. Equipment may need to rip through permafrost and frozen ground as hard as concrete. Gold is heavy and settles deep in the gravel bed, requiring crews to dig through feet of rugged Yukon rocks, gravel, and dirt to the rich bedrock layer. The weather can be brutal, resulting in a mining season that lasts only five or six months each year. The remote location adds to the challenge. The Beets and Schnabel claims are both about a 90-minute drive from Dawson City, Yukon — and more than
a half day’s drive from Whitehorse, Yukon, and Fairbanks, Alaska. And even in those places, supplies can be limited. It may take days or weeks to get supplies or replacement parts. When equipment breaks, which in gold mining is guaranteed, it usually requires a “bush fix” — quickly repairing the part or piece of equipment well enough to keep it running. “Every time the sluice plants and dredge aren’t running, it costs money, but you’re not getting any revenue,” says Minnie Beets, who runs the books
www.kpijci.com
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018 Verticals_Third Page Ad_Crushing_AggMan_18-7.indd 2
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APPLICATIONS mining For remote ukon s in the Y operation uipment eq Territory, ns the ea uptime m etween b difference y and a da 0 0 ,0 5 $ a day. $50,000
Common repairs around the claims include steel grizzly bars for the sluice box on the wash plant, repairing teeth on the excavator bucket, or replacing tracks on a dozer.
and makes many of the purchasing decisions for the Beets operation. “It’s really important for things to get fixed as soon as possible.” The Beets and Schnabel mining operations cover hundreds of acres and require massive wash plants and dozens of pieces of large equipment — from excavators and bulldozers to rock trucks. For Beets, the mining operation also includes traditional mining dredges that are decades old and a wash plant run by Monica Beets, Tony and Minnie’s daughter. The traditional mining dredge floats in a body of water and excavates sand, gravel, and dirt using continuously moving steel buckets on a circular bucket line. The dredges can move much more dirt compared to a regular wash plant, which sluices the gravel and dirt that is dumped into the plant by an excavator. This massive equipment often runs 24/7 during the mining season. The tough nature of the work and the sometimes-harsh conditions mean frequent maintenance and repairs. “When you talk about the amount of machinery we have out here and the fact that most of them are running 24 hours a day, maintenance and breakdowns is a daily occurrence,” says Rick Ness, head foreman on the Schnabel claim.
Weld it up, make it work Constant breakdowns and repairs make welding a necessity on the claims, where the motto is often “gouge it out, weld it up, make
10
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
it work.” Both crews rely on welding and cutting products from Miller Electric Mfg. Co. to get jobs done and keep equipment running. “There is always something worn out. There is always something that needs to be fixed. There is always something else you need to build,” says mine boss Tony Beets, who has spent decades mining in the Yukon. “You cannot put a price on downtime. If you buy a good, reliable product that saves you downtime, in the long run it saves you money.” Common repairs around the claims might include replacing steel grizzly bars that keep large rocks out of the sluice box on the wash plant, repairing teeth on the excavator bucket, or replacing tracks on a dozer. At the start of the most recent mining season, Blaschke and his crew built a new pre-wash system for the Big Red wash plant. They used a Trailblazer 325 welder/generator, a Big Blue 400 Pro welder/generator, and a Spectrum X-TREME plasma cutter for the project, which took several days. “We used to have problems with jam-ups in the pre-wash,” Blaschke says. “We made huge improvements with that project. It saved us hours of downtime, and our gold recovery has been better than ever.” Since there’s always welding to be done on the mine claims, it’s important to have versatile and durable welding equipment that’s up to the task. Repairs or improvement projects on the claims often require the mechanics to fabricate their own parts using what they have available. They can’t wait to resolve issues with equipment, since downtime is money, so they have to get creative in finding solutions. “We’ve got to make it happen now with what we have,” says Kevin Beets, foreman on the Beets claim. “What I like about Miller is I go, I fire it up, I don’t worry. They work.”
Speed and versatility are vital The wide range of repairs on a claim — and the many thicknesses and condi-
tions of the metal that needs welding — requires versatile equipment that can perform on ¼-inch steel or 2-inch steel. The Beets and Schnabel crews use welding power sources from Miller, including XMT 350 FieldPro multiprocess welders with ArcReach technology, as well as several engine-driven welder/ generators. The mining crews rely on all-in-one Big Blue welder/generators that they use for welding, powering jobsite tools, and providing air for carbon arc gouging and other needs. “Our wash plants are set up in remote locations, so we use our engine drives on a daily basis,” Blaschke says. A Big Blue 800 Duo Air Pak welder/ generator sits on the deck of the dredge on the Beets claim. The dredge floats on water, making it nearly impossible to run lines across the pond for machines such as welders and air compressors. Having one machine that covers welding, power generation, and compressed air reduces the need to have a separate air compressor or generator on the dredge and gives the team flexibility. In addition to welding, they use it to power sump pumps, lights, drills, impact wrenches, and other tools. “The time that saves and as convenient as that machine is, it’s the only way to go,” Tony Beets says. “It’s an all-in-one machine that can do anything we need.” The Beets crew also has a service truck with a Big Blue 600 Air Pak welder/generator, which they use for welding, carbon arc gouging, auxiliary power, or running an air compressor to perform repairs and maintenance around the claim. Just like the XMT multiprocess welders, this machine also includes ArcReach technology. With ArcReach technology, welding operators have complete control of welding parameters at the weld joint using a wire feeder or stick/TIG remote. This eliminates the need to walk back to the power source to make changes — saving significant time and improving productivity and safety. This remote capability is a time saver on the expansive mine claims, where operators may be
SHAPE
www.kpijci.com
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018 Verticals_Third Page Ad_Crushing_AggMan_18-7.indd 3
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7/19/2018 2:12:59 PM
APPLICATIONS
of the A welder/generator sits on the deck s for dredge on the Beets claim . It allow lights, welding and powers sump pumps, . tools r othe and , ches wren ct impa drills,
repairing or maintaining massive pieces of equipment — working 10 or 20 feet off the ground. “To not have to walk 40 feet every time. I can have the controller right where I’m welding,” Kevin Beets says. “At the end of the day, it saves you time and money.” Some repairs around the claims require stick welding, while it makes sense to use MIG or flux-cored welding for bigger projects that take more time. ArcReach technology works with stick, TIG, and wire welding processes — providing flexibility. “I would much rather weld with stick, but our projects are usually long projects, and running the wire feed is super quick and super slick and smooth,” says Chad Paullus, a welding operator on Schnabel’s crew. “That’s definitely a game-changer for us. It’s way quicker, with less downtime. It’s huge.”
Investing in new solutions While much of the work in gold mining is done the same way things have been done for decades, there are new technologies that help the crews get work done faster and move more dirt. Changing old habits and investing in new technologies can help reduce downtime and improve productivity. “You have to keep changing and finding a better, faster way. Our Miller welders are no different. You have to be comfortable with evolving, otherwise you won’t be out here making money,” Blaschke says. “If you can save five minutes here or there, get a better weld and a better cut, it all prevents downtime, and it’s the difference at the end of the day.” Some things are still done the traditional way. Bulldozer operators must be able to tell by feel that their blade is flat, for example. But when technologies help save time and money, they’re worth the investment.
12
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
“There are some plus sides to new stuff and new technology. If it cuts time and makes things get fixed faster, I’m happy,” says Monica Beets, a foreman on the Beets crew.
Pursuit of more gold demands productivity With ambitious gold targets and demanding round-the-clock schedules, the Beets and Schnabel crews require durable, dependable equipment that helps minimize downtime and maximize productivity. “When we choose our welding equipment, we choose something that is proven and reliable. I’ve been in the mining business for the last 35 years, and we’ve always had Miller welders,” Tony Beet says. “I have them on the dredges. I’ve got them at all the sluice plants. I’ve got them on the welding trucks. There is nothing that you can’t set it for that it wouldn’t do.” The pursuit of higher gold totals each season requires new and more efficient technologies to help the crews maximize productivity — so they can pull more gold from the ground. “Each year we’re looking for new things to make mining easier and help us get more gold. We wouldn’t be able to keep upping our season goals if it wasn’t for the technology and the products that we use,” Blaschke says. “The Yukon isn’t easy on anybody or anything — it tears apart this equipment. We use our Miller products to put everything back together. I wouldn’t trust anything else out here.” AM
Article courtesy of Miller Electric Mfg. Co.
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OPERATIONS ILLUSTRATED By Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief
Best Practices for Pit Expansion Screen operation from neighbors.
Determine the goals for the plant before seeking additional permits.
Consider how to transport material throughout the plant.
Exercise sound dust control.
OUR EXPERTS
Engineer in ease of maintenance.
Jim Gore is an area land use permitting manager for Vulcan Materials Co. He has been with the company for 17 years, having spent another 25 years with another construction materials company. He studied administration of justice in college before finding his calling in land use planning.
Travis Chewning is senior director – engineering and operations support for Luck Stone. He spent a year in operations before moving into engineering and support roles and has been with Luck Stone for 19 years. Chewning has a mine engineering degree from Virginia Tech.
Kevin Rareshide is the chief design engineer for Luck Stone. He has worked in the company’s engineering department for 32 years. Rareshide has a civil engineering degree from Old Dominion University.
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
15
Plan the Work and Work the Plan
A
s most operators know, pit expansion can be a challenge under the best of circumstances. An expansion effort can include everything from the permitting process to procuring new equipment to relocating stockpiles. The key to a successful expansion is developing a solid plan and working that plan well in advance of when the additional reserves are needed. “You want to give yourself as much time as possible to get through the process,” says Jim Gore, area land use permitting manager for Vulcan Materials Co. “When you’re toward the end of your permit, you have the potential to be leveraged and to give up more things to get your entitlement. When you start early enough, you go through a normal negotiation.” As the market demand grew in Northern Virginia, Luck Stone focused on meeting customer needs through an expansion of its Bull Run operation. That process began by securing additional reserves for the site shortly after acquiring it in 2001. “We needed to invest in our Bull Run operation in order to serve the market,” says Travis Chewning, Luck Stone’s senior director – engineering and operations support, noting that the company considered “market trends that informed how large of a facility we wanted to build.” Transforming the Bull Run plant from one that produced an average of 700,000 tons per year to one capable of
1
processing 5 million tons per year required a long-term effort. Luck Stone spent two years securing up to 100 years of additional reserves. Next, it relocated a state roadway running through the center of the existing plant. “While the road was being done, we were pretty busy developing plans for the plant and doing site work,” says Kevin Rareshide, Luck Stone’s chief design engineer. He worked on the plant design over the course of nine years and produced about 15 different renditions of the plant. When designing an expansion, Rareshide suggests evaluating inventory needs so that stockpiles can be arranged in an efficient manner. Other planning considerations include automation, ease of maintenance, safety, mitigating the operation’s impact on neighbors, and designing to crush for yield, not just tonnage. “You don’t want to make 57s if you need 8s,” he points out. Finally, an operator should allot plenty of time for the design and construction of the plant. It took about a year of detailed engineering to complete the final design for Bull Run and another 18 months for construction, including pouring more than 3,000 yards of concrete for the gyratory structure. “If an operator needs a plant in 2025, they should start planning in 2020 to determine what the major equipment will be,” Rareshide advises. “You need to have a footprint established 2.5 year ahead of when you want it to run.”
Crush for yield, not production
When planning a pit expansion, perform due diligence on the market in order to determine the desired capacity of the plant. Keep in mind, however, that the goal is not to simply produce product, but the right product. The plant should be flexible enough to be able to shift the yield to align with customer needs.
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AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
2
Simplify maintenance
Take advantage of the opportunity to simplify maintenance while building out the plant. Consider simple changes, such as increasing the size of access tunnels for easier cleanup, installing external hoists on enclosed portions of the plant for transportation of parts, and providing additional catwalks for greater accessibility and safety.
3
Engineer in solutions
Consider potential problem areas and design systems to mitigate them. Consider how to recirculate water used in a dust suppression system to keep water running through the lines to prevent freezing. Also, set up water jets on a series of zones that can be customized to meet the changing daily operating conditions at the site.
4
Segment the startup
Start up each segment of the new plant separately. Run the primary for a couple of weeks to ensure it is meeting its target goals and everyone understands the automation as well as its capabilities. Then, move on to the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary plants. This allows the operation team to fully understand each segment before tackling the next.
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
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Voices of Experience Jim Gore
T
he first step to an expansion project should be an internal dialogue regarding what the requirements are for a viable project, says Jim Gore, an area land use permitting manager with Vulcan Materials Co. “We sit down with all the stakeholders within the company and come up with an agreement as to what we want,” Gore says. Once the scope of a project is set, Gore says that he approaches the appropriate person at the local agency to discuss the scope of the project. “A lot of this is developing relationships and trust,” he says. “The good thing is that Vulcan is pretty well known in the area. A lot of lead agencies respect us for what we do because we don’t cut corners. If we say we’re going to do something, that’s what we’re going to do.” Before paperwork is filed, Gore prefers to perform all the relevant environmental studies in advance. “At the end of the day, there are no surprises,” he says. “We’ll do an air quality study, and if we don’t like the numbers, we’ll modify the project to find what we need to make it a good, viable project.” Finally, Gore works to educate people about the project. “We explain what the project is, why we are doing it, how we are doing it, and why we are doing it here,” he says. The strategy works. He recently sought a 100-year permit for an expansion at Vulcan’s San Emidio operation. The county countered with a 30-year permit, but after walking officials through the scope of the project, Vulcan secured a 1.5 billion ton, 300-year permit. The kicker? It was approved by a yes/no vote as part of a consent calendar. “The fun part about my job is trying to figure out how best to accomplish something and having the right team of people to help,” he says.
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AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
Travis Chewning
Kevin Rareshide
I
A
t might not be an overstatement to say no stone was left unturned when Luck Stone expanded its Bull Run facility into a 5 million ton-per-year operation. Material movement played a significant part in reimagining how the plant would function. “Our plant expansion required two significant site development projects that were completed in two phases over a five-year period,” says Travis Chewning, Luck Stone’s senior director – engineering and operations. The first project was to move a state road that went through the center of the old plant to the perimeter of the new one. The project involved building approximately 2.5 miles of two-lane roadway to replace the existing one. When Luck Stone moved the road, it dedicated enough right of way to make a four-lane road, which allows the county to expand in the future. “When we relocated the road, we had to build new screening berms parallel to the new road,” Chewning adds. “There was a significant amount of earthwork where we took overburden from off the pit and created new screening berms.” The second major project was filling in the original pit, which is where the new secondary plant is located. A combination of crushed concrete brought in from off site and overburden were used to fill in the former pit. The new plant was built in two phases beginning with the primary, secondary, tertiary, and base reclaim plants being built from 2014 to 2015. Once that construction was complete, the old plant was torn down and construction began on the second phase, including a second tertiary plant and fines recovery system. The end result was worth the effort. “There are several features of this plant that, at a high level, allow us to shift what the plant produces to really meet what the market is demanding,” Chewning says. “It’s not a perfect system, but it is a very flexible plant design.”
t Luck Stone’s Bull Run operation, a clean sheet plant design allowed it to create a plant that is safe and easy to maintain. From items, such as increasing the number of catwalks to boosting the size of access tunnels to installing hoists on the exterior of enclosed screen towers, thoughtful consideration was given to each aspect of the plant. “The plant was totally new from the primary right through the last stacker,” says Kevin Rareshide, Luck Stone’s chief design engineer. During the design, he was able to tackle issues such as the dust suppression system, which had been a challenge to operate in cold temperatures, and material transportation, which is achieved through the use of 70 conveyors. In fact, the only truckbased materials transportation at the plant is from the shot to the primary. As the new plant was being built, the old one continued to produce material to serve Bull Run customers. “The function of the existing plant and the construction of the new plant were done totally under separate focus,” Rareshide says. “The plant folks were concentrating on running the plant. The construction guys were focused on building the new plant.” The sole exception to the separation of duties was during the last four to six months before the new plant came on line when there was minimal crossover as they moved inventory from the old plant to the new plant stockpile areas. Once the new plant was ready to begin production, the plant and electrical department worked hand in hand to bring it up one area at a time, beginning with the primary before moving on to the secondary, tertiary, and base plants over the course of a couple months. The segmented startups allow the company to understand the automation, functions, and capabilities of the equipment in each area, Rareshide says, noting, “It really worked out well.”
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ith the growing demand for quarries to use mobile crushers in their operations, planned maintenance is the key for optimum uptime. Having a proactive maintenance plan will keep your machines dependable and
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AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
extend their working life. Here are some suggestions that will help your machine run more efficiently and effectively.
Analyze high wear areas Crushers are designed to self-destroy their high wear areas and, on a rock
crusher, there are a lot of those high wear areas. An examination of the material flow of a crusher will pinpoint areas of high wear. It all starts with loading the material into the feed hopper of the crusher. My first suggestion for a mobile plant is to
Photo courtesy of Kleemann/Wirtgen Group.
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EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT load the crusher with a excavator, rather than a wheel loader, because with an excavator, the operator has better visibility and more control of what he is dumping into the hopper. He will have a better view of the material and how it is sliding into the mouth of the crusher. A nicely spread, even flow into your crusher will cut down on uneven wear on one side or the other. That being said, make sure your crusher is level from side to side, as well as level vertically, and not leaning back uphill, which makes your motors work harder as they push the feed against the pull of gravity. Simple checks during set up will increase overall production. Wear parts are expensive, and crushing costs should be cut down to every penny. Nobody wants to use half a blow bar, jaw die, punch plate, grizzly, or screen because the machine is not level, which allows material to flow more down one side of the machine, causing excessive wear all the way down that side of the machine. The feed hopper wear plates need to be visibly inspected often. The plates closer to the crushing chamber will be the first to wear. It’s crucial you change these before they are completely worn through, which can cause damage to the hopper frame itself. If this happens, new wear plates will not sit flush, allowing material to build up underneath them, causing the bolts that hold the wear plates to break and the new plates to fall, causing more downtime and costs.
Grizzlies and prescreens Depending on your machine, you may have an integrated grizzly that is attached to the feeder, allowing certain size material to bypass the crushing chamber. Having the right-size grizzly openings is key for optimizing production, and to cut down on unnecessary wear to crushing tools. The grizzly fingers will wear and need to be inspected on a weekly basis. Using a hard facing weld can help prolong the life of the grizzly fingers. If your machine has an independent prescreen, there are more items to check.
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AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
Grizzly fingers should be inspected for wear on a weekly basis. A hard facing weld can help prolong their life.
The independent prescreen is separate from the feeder; while the feeder moves in a linear motion, the independent prescreen moves in an elliptical motion via two electric motors joined by a shaft. The independent prescreen is a much more efficient way of pre-separating material that may already be sized or that you just do not want going into the crusher, such as fines. The prescreen can have a blanking mat, punch plate, or grizzly bars on the top section, and any kind of screen media you choose for the bottom section. These are all wear items that need to be checked for tightness and general wear. The vibratory motors for the feeder and the prescreen should not be overlooked during your daily maintenance. Have your people look for any wires that may be rubbing and ensure that junction boxes are tight and sealed. On a biweekly basis, take the covers off, inspect the weights, and see they are set correctly. You do not want a motor set at a different percent than the other or it will fight against the other motor, resulting in premature failure.
The crushing chambers Whether the mobile crusher is an impactor, jaw, or cone, the crushing chambers are the workhorses of these machines.
They also need the most attention, care, and love to prolong the life of the machine and to maximize the production of the machine. Impact crushers — The impact crusher has eight main wear points that must be inspected on a daily or semi-daily basis. The blow bars, rotor, and wear plates are what comes to everyone’s mind when they think of wear inside an impactor. That is very true, but there also are the lower and upper toggles, the impact plates on the bottom toggle, impact beam, chain curtain, and rubber curtain. The rotor can be kept in very good shape by changing the blow bars before they get too low. If not, this will cause material to chew into the rotor. If the rotor becomes unbalanced enough, it will start throwing the rotor bearings; that is a world you want to avoid! Another form of rotor maintenance is to keep the rotor hard faced with hard-facing welding rod. The wear plates on the side of the door around the edges of the rotor make up another high-wear area, and these will need to be changed out more than any other plate inside the chamber. In most cases, you can take plates from the not-so-high-wear area and swap them to the high-wear area, saving some cost. It’s a good idea to
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EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
On an independent prescreen, inspect each section for wear and tightness. Be sure to check the vibratory motors as well, looking for any wires that are rubbing and making sure junction boxes are sealed.
have scheduled downtime to keep your crushing chamber in the best shape possible. Nobody wants to be down, but
pre-scheduling this work is a time and money saver in the long run. Jaw crushers — The jaw crusher has
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three main wear parts to its crushing chamber: the swing jaw, the fixed jaw, and the cheek plates. The fixed jaw is going to be the first to wear, as it absorbs the most force. The jaw dies can be flipped before having to be completely changed out for new dies. The cheek plates should be really inspected the first time you go to flip the swing jaw. Cone crushers — The cone crusher has six main wear items, and two others, for its crushing chamber. The mantle and bowl liner will be your primary wear items. There also may be a feed plate, locking nut, torch ring, casting compound on some cones, plus arm guards and mainframe liner. Depending on your machine’s application, these items need to be checked daily for wear. Allowing these wear items to wear to excess can cause major downtime, failures to the inside of your cone, and high costs. Daily checks can prevent these things from jumping up and biting you in the rear.
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AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
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Conveyors and screen media Conveyors can wreak havoc on your crushing plant from ripped belts, uneven wear, and spillage causing belt stoppages. The most important thing when properly maintaining conveyors is adjusting belts to run true on the conveyor. It’s a very easy thing that can be overlooked, but needs to be addressed every day. Plants should have proper skirt board rubber on the conveyor. This will stop spillage and prevent rocks from becoming caught up on a roller, causing the roller to prematurely fail, or rocks becoming caught in the tail pulley, causing the belt to jam and hours of shoveling. Having a proper belt scraper will help clean the belt of sticky material that can build up on your rollers, causing them to freeze up and fail, which could, in turn, rip your belt. The last item is to maintain your rollers; keep them clean, and, if they are getting flat spots, change them. It will save you cost in the long run. It’s very important to have the right
selection of screen media, which your salesperson should be more than happy to help you select. After all, it’s only after the material is screened to the right size that a producer gets paid for it, and profitability is what it’s all about. The screen media needs to be checked daily for cleanliness, wear or damaged parts, and for tension. You don’t want the screen media loose, as it will cause it to flap around and break prematurely. Another area that needs to be checked is the profile rubber on your screen rail bars. This is critical, as you always want to have good crown rubber underneath your screen media. If this is not done, it will prematurely wear or break your screens, as well as the screen box rail bars, which could cause a screen box failure.
General maintenance When it comes to your machine’s engine and hydraulics service intervals, always
The stringer system holding the modular panels is then cleaned of debris that might interfere with system installation, and the bases are installed.
The crushing chamber is the portion of the portable crusher that needs the most attention, regardless of the type of crusher.
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EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
A proper belt scraper will clean the belt of sticky material that can build up on your rollers and cause roller failure or even a belt rip.
follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. You should have a copy of the service intervals in any operator’s manual for your machine. Stick to it. I’m also a firm believer in having the service dealer or manufacturer come to
the machine to perform these services. This is the best way to keep regular records on your machine’s engine and hydraulic intervals. The dealer or manufacturer’s service technician will also have the knowledge and resources
to have a quick look over your machine for any preventive repairs or catch any future trouble spots before they become costly. Cleanliness of the machine is a necessity as well. Keeping a clean machine means you will be able to maintain — and work on — the machine more easily. It can also prevent an employee from slipping and injuring himself. A clean machine is a happy machine, which means more uptime and longer machine life. Finally, one last thought is vital to your operation: Having a pre-planned general maintenance schedule is the second most important point to any successful operation. But the most important point is sticking to it. AM
Zachary Holland is the product support manager, Kleemann division of Wirtgen Mineral Technologies.
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AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
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by Arthur M. Wolfson and Adam J. Schwendeman
ROCKLAW
Suspended Load Violation Upheld Commission finds a suspended load violation when a miner’s presence under a crane’s spreader bar is not part of rigging.
I
Arthur M. Wolfson is a member in Jackson Kelly PLLC’s Pittsburgh office where he practices in the Energy and Mining Law industry groups. He can be reached at 412-434-8055 or awolfson@jacksonkelly.com. Adam J. Schwendeman is an associate in the firm’s Charleston office where he practices in the Construction, Manufacturing, and Mining Law industry groups. He can be reached at 304-3401077 or aschwendeman@ jacksonkelly.com.
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n a case closely watched by the crane operating and mining industries, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (Commission), in a 3-1 decision, held that a miner’s presence under a crane’s spreader bar violates the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) suspended load standard when not connected with the rigging process. However, if rigging is occurring under the conditions prescribed by 30 C.F.R. § 56.14211, there would be no suspended load violation. In Sims Crane, Docket No. SE 2015-315M (Review Commission April 25, 2018), the Commission considered the validity of a citation issued under 30 C.F.R. § 56.16009 which requires that “[p]ersons shall stay clear of suspended loads.” During the inspection at issue, the inspector observed a miner standing under a crane’s ‘spreader bar,’ which is a lifting device attached to the crane’s hoist hook that assists in balancing heavy objects during lifting. At the time the miner was under the spreader bar, the crane operator was extending the boom to position it above the object to be lifted. The inspector initially issued an oral imminent danger order, requiring the miner to move out from under the spreader bar. At that point, the crane operator left the cab, walked under the spreader bar to discuss the issue with the inspector, and then walked back under the spreader bar to return to the cab. The inspec-
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
tor retracted the imminent danger order, but issued a non-S&S citation alleging a violation of § 56.16009 for failing to stay clear of a suspended load. At the initial hearing, the administrative law judge (ALJ) upheld a violation, finding that the spreader bar constituted a ‘suspended load’ for purposes of the standard. The operator, however, appealed the ALJ’s ruling, and its appeal was joined by 15 companies and industry groups as amicus curiae. The operator argued that the spreader bar is not a ‘load’ but rather ‘load attaching equipment’ outside the scope of the standard. The operator further argued that considering ‘load-attaching equipment’ within the meaning of ‘suspended load’ would preclude certain tasks in the rigging process that require miners to work within the fall zone of the load attaching equipment. The Secretary countered the operator’s arguments by insisting that the presence of a miner under a spreader bar constituted a violation of the suspended load standard. Notwithstanding this position, on Feb. 6, 2017, MSHA issued Program Policy Letter No. P 7-IV-01, which states that MSHA will not issue a citation for a miner’s presence under a suspended load if two conditions are met: (1) the miner must be “involved in the attachment of objects or materials to the load attaching equipment or are detaching the load,” and (2) “adequate measures are in place
to protect miners from hazards associated with load attaching operator’s travel under the spreader bar, first to see why equipment during these processes.” the inspector halted activity and then to return to his cab In its decision, the Commission recognized that, notwithsto continue work, was all part of this lawful rigging process. tanding § 56.16009’s requirement to stay clear of suspenTherefore, Chairman Althen concluded that even under the ded loads, two other standards — 30 C.F.R. §§ 56.14210 and interpretation adopted by the Commission, the miner’s travel 56.14211 — allow miners to work under suspended loads or under the spreader bar was not a violation. AM objects involving mobile equipment so long as the equipment is designed to protect the miner from falling objects or where certain blocking or securing measures are taken. Specifically, the Commission noted that § 56.14211 allows miners to perform work on top of, under, or from a raised component of mobile equipment once the component has been adequately blocked or mechanically secured to prevent accidental lowering. The Commission concluded that there would be no violation of § 56.16009 if miners were rigging Accuracy. Quality. a spreader bar under the conditions Delivery. Real described in § 56.14211. However, a people make sure violation of § 56.16009 may be found your screen media if a miner is present under a spreader can withstand the bar when not engaged in rigging work. Based upon this reasoning, a toughest screening majority of the Commission found that application. We the crane operator’s return to his cab know down time while traveling under the spreader means deadtime. bar was not part of rigging work Count on Unified’s and, therefore, constituted a violation. Because the Commission found team to help you a violation on this basis, it declined meet the demand. to address whether the first miner’s presence under the spreader bar or the crane operator’s walk from the cab to the inspector while under the spreader bar constituted violations. Although he agreed with the other Commissioners concerning their interpretation of the standard, Chairman Althen disagreed that a violation occurred. Chairman Althen reasoned that the inspector had info@unifiedscreening.com halted a lawful rigging process www.unifiedscreening.com by issuing the initial and improper 866.968.3697 imminent danger order. He extended his reasoning to assert that the crane
Real men weave wire.
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018 Untitled-13 1
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7/9/18 10:01 AM
ADINDEX August 2018 Advertiser
Page
ABB Motors & Mechanical
new.abb.com/motors-generators
21
BKT USA Inc.
bkt-tires.com
27
Crisp Industries, Inc.
crispindustries.com
24
ELRUS Aggregate Systems
elrus.com/ms612-screen
19
Hammond Air Conditioning
hammondac.com
31
Hyundai Construction Equipment
tomorrowsedgetoday.com
14
KPI-JCI
kpijci.com
Kruse Integration
kruseintegration.com
ME Elecmetal
elecmetal.com
MetPro
metprosupply.com
31
Motion Industries
motionindustries.com
23
NSSGA
www.nssga.org
26
Progressive Commercial
progressive.com
25
Rice Lake
ricelake.com
BC
SANDVIK
rocktechnology.sandvik/plantsolutions
IFC
Unified Screening & Crushing
unifiedscreening.com
29
Wirtgen Group Company
wirtgen-group.com/america
. The publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions.
30
Web
AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
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AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018 12/14/16Untitled-3 8:54 AM 1
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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 Earth Tells its Stories in Maps – v2.0 Technology has sped up the process of translating geologic maps into aggregate potential maps.
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bout 18 years ago (August 2000), I wrote an article with the same title of this article — sans the v2.0. That article described how a geologic map can be translated into a map showing potential sources of aggregate. During my career, I have translated quite a few geologic maps into aggregate potential maps. There is a world of difference between how I translated geologic maps back in the day (prior to the 2000 article) and the way I translate maps these days. Translating geologic maps into aggregate potential maps is no easy task. However, the mechanical process has been made much simpler with the advent of reasonably priced geographic information systems (GIS), powerful personal computers, and the availability of high-quality digital data. The first step in in any geologic map transformation is finding a good geologic map to use as the source of data. Back in the day, this involved library searches, visits to book and map stores, and calls to organizations such as state Geological Surveys. Today, the web contains digital geologic maps for all states in the United States. The geologic data commonly will be combined with other data like topography, hydrology, state and local boundaries, highways, quarry and pit locations, and so forth. If that is the case, the next step is to bring all the information to the same scale and same map projection. In the past, this was a big deal. Today, all the differences can (almost) be fixed with a click of the computer mouse. However, the one thing that computers do not yet possess is the knowledge required to translate a map unit from geology to aggregate potential. A geologic map uses different colors and symbols to communicate important information about the distribution of rocks and unconsolidated materials at and near the Earth’s surface. Each color (map unit) commonly consists of three or more related rock types or sediment types that can be distinguished from adjacent geologic map units. Translating geologic map units into aggregate potential requires a wealth of experience, the ability to research the literature to learn about rocks where your experience is limited, and a systematic methodology to put everything together. When I translate a geologic map into an aggregate resource map, I determine what rock types likely comprise the map unit. I then assign a relative potential value to that map unit based on what those rock types are and whether one, two, or all rock types have the properties to make a suitable aggregate. I then assign a confidence value to that map unit. Finally, I test my interpretations by comparing my derivative map units with the locations of existing or historic aggregate operations. Actually, there is much more to translating a geologic map into an aggregate potential map than revealed herein, and it takes time to make a good translation. Time is money, and there is only so much time that can be spent on the translation process before the cost outweighs the benefits. The good news is that computers and GIS save the translator a huge amount of time — time that can be spent on the “knowledge” side of the process. The bottom line is that today — taking the same amount of time — we can make aggregate potential maps far superior to those made in good old days. A lot has changed in two decades. I wonder what v3.0 has in store for us? AM
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AGGREGATES MANAGER / August 2018
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