Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/468886
AGGREGATES MANAGER March 2015 3 by Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief tdunphy@randallreilly.com RECLAMATION B efore the first shovel of overburden has been removed from most mines, plans are already made for a post-mining land use. Given the size of most aggregate operations, many communities often require approval of these plans before a permit is issued. Over the years, various forms of reclamation have gained popularity. From golf courses to residential developments to wetlands, aggregate operations have often transformed into beautiful second uses. For example, Black Diamond's Quarry Course is consistently recognized as one of America's greatest golf courses. In recent years, however, fewer residential and commercial complexes have been announced. Instead, operators are increasingly working with their local communities to determine property uses that suit the needs of their neighbors. One trend is for operators to reclaim their operations as water storage or flood abatement facilities. The Thornton Quarry is one such operation. Its reservoir is expected to have a capacity of nearly 8 billion gallons of rainwater and sewage. In Oregon, a former Knife River quarry was given to a local economic development agency. Immediate plans are for it to serve as a campground, while the site may eventually become the home to an amphitheater for the agency's main fundraising project, a music festival. In Atlanta, the former Vulcan Materials Co. operation that gained exposure as the backdrop for television's The Walking Dead is in the process of being redeveloped as a 300-acre park, as well as a reservoir for drinking water. Recreational use has been top of mind in both above ground and underground reclamation projects. In Kentucky, a former underground mine has been transformed into the Louisville Mega Cavern. It recently added a bicycle park to the site, which already included a zip line and a ropes course. Connecticut's Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park transformed an abandoned mine that had attracted unmonitored swimmers into a recreational facility that features cliff jumping, rock climbing, swimming, kayaking, scuba diving, rappelling, rope swings, zip lines, a water slide, and inflatable water toys around its camp site. It attracts an estimated 50,000 visitors each year. It's truly inspiring to see some of the reclamation projects that begin once mining at a site is complete. To that end, Aggregates Manager is sponsoring a photo contest to highlight some of these projects in our July issue. The winning entries will be featured in an Operations Illustrated article, and one lucky winner will be showcased on the July cover. All entries will be shared in an online photo gallery. Send an email to therese@aggman.com (mark the subject line "Reclamation Project") and include a photo and information about your recent project. You may just find your project in an upcoming issue. Entries are due by April 15. March 2015 Vol. 20, No. 3 aggman.com /AggregatesManager @AggMan_editor Editorial Editor-in-Chief: Therese Dunphy Editorial Director: Marcia Gruver Doyle Online Editor: Wayne Grayson editorial@aggman.com Design & Production Art Director: Sandy Turner, Jr. Production Designer: Timothy Smith Advertising Production Manager: Linda Hapner production@aggman.com Construction Media VP of Sales, Construction Media: Joe Donald sales@randallreillyconstruction.com 3200 Rice Mine Rd NE Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 800-633-5953 randallreilly.com Corporate Chairman/CEO: Mike Reilly President: Brent Reilly Chief Process Officer: Shane Elmore Chief Administration Officer: David Wright 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 Publishing Company copyright 2015. 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. Periodical circulation postage paid at Tuscaloosa, Alabama and additional entries. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage retrieval system, without written permission of the copyright owner. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. 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