Aggregates Manager

December 2013

Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine

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State & Province NEWS by Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief by Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief tdunphy@randallreilly.com Arizona While the state is often highlighted for its copper mining (Arizona leads the nation in copper mines), sand and gravel and Portland cement production were featured in a recent article in The Arizona Daily Star. The article reports that gravel and aggregate are among the state's most common industrial minerals and that 100 tons of sand and gravel are needed in the construction of a standard 1,600-square-foot house. The article also reports that the state's first cement plant was built by the Portland Cement Co. on 200 acres in Rillito in 1949 at a cost of $3 million. Colorado Merial I. Currier and Currier Gravel Pit, Inc. agreed to pay $255,000 as part of a settlement with the government. According to the Denver Post, Currier Gravel operated the pit on land owned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and mined more than 150,000 tons of sand and gravel from the 9-acre site between 1991 and 2010. The company owns property next to the BLM land. In 2010, it did a formal survey of the property and found that it had encroached on its neighbor's borders and agreed to pay the estimated value of the commodity it mined. The owner also agreed to ensure proper reclamation of the damaged property. Florida Employees at Titan America's Pennsuco plant took a bold move to support breast cancer awareness this fall when they painted parts of the plant pink. "We weren't sure how enthusiastic our workers would be about painting a plant with bright pink, but all of them were incredibly supportive, volunteering and excited about the project," said Ruben Terrazas, aggregates production manager at Titan, in a press release. Terrazas initiated the project. The stone crushing plant was outlined with pink guardrails on the stairs, pink conveyor belt siding, the rose water tank, and the bright pink stacker anchors a corner of the structures. 4 AGGREGATES MANAGER December 2013 To keep up to date with this breakdown of news in the United States and Canada, visit www.AggMan.com for daily updates. Illinois Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart's inspector general launched an investigation into a planned development in Robbins to build a limestone quarry that would take 20 to 30 percent of the suburb's land through eminent domain. The Southtown Star reports that ALM Resources, the project developer, donated $2,000 to the campaign of a town trustee. It also reported that the town approached state legislators about introducing a bill in the fall veto session to allow quick-take authority to acquire homes and businesses for the planned development. Illinois As the City of Decatur experienced low water supply levels this fall, city officials asked residents to voluntarily conserve water. According to WICS NewChannel 20, Lake Decatur, the city's primary water source, was a foot below the average winter level and dropping. The city was expected to tap water from a former sand and gravel pit as well as the Dewitt County wellfield. Maryland Lehigh Cement Co. has worked through the concerns of New Windsor residents regarding its proposed changes to the mining provisions of the county code. The Sandoval Times reports that Lehigh is looking to expand its quarry in the town and transport limestone via conveyor belt to its plant in Union Bridge. Resident concerns were primarily related to hours that the operator would be allowed to store material, as well as line of sight for stockpiles. Brian Mobley, chairman of the New Windsor Community Action Project told the newspaper that he is no longer concerned about the proposed changes and will be satisfied if Lehigh follows through with what it has proposed. Kent Martin, plant manager, said that the company has tried to keep the public involved in the planning process, which has been five years in the making. "As long as we are being open and transparent, I have found that... is what is most important to gain acceptance," he told the newspaper. Massachusetts The former Plympton Sand and Gravel is now home to 23,000 solar panels being used to provide power to the community's public school system. According to The Boston Globe, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in late October for the project, which is expected to save the school district $400,000 per year in energy costs, a 25-percent savings. San Diego-based Borrego Solar Systems Inc. installed the project.

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