Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/708006
16 AGGREGATES MANAGER / July 2016 PLANT PROFILE One of those three products is crusher run, which is conveyed to a stockpile. A tunnel running beneath that stockpile feeds material into the pug mill system, which is fully automated. The pug mill system includes a conveyor and a scale underneath two material bins — one for dry crusher run and one for pug, crusher run mixed with water. The truck driver simply pulls up to the sign with instruc- tions. He pushes a button to select the type of material he wants and the weight his truck can hold. Then, he pulls forward onto the scale under the bin holding the material he wants. The system loads the truck with material and automatical- ly cuts off when the truck reaches the proper weight. If the truck has an RFID tag, the driver doesn't have to go to the scalehouse to get a ticket, he can pick it up from a kiosk as he exits the pug mill. Material not pulled out at the second- ary plant is sent on to the tertiary plant where one dry product is taken out. The remaining material is sized, crushed, and sent to a wash plant where three differ- ent wash products are made for ready- mix concrete and asphalt customers. The quarry operates two full-time scales at the scalehouse that are open from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Between the scales at the scalehouse and the scale at the pug mill, the operation is in constant motion with trucks coming and going. Four months ago, the plant was fully automated so that one operator in the primary plant control tower in the pit can monitor and run the entire operation, including the two cone crushers in the secondary and tertiary plants, all the conveyors, and the surge pile. The opera- tor can tilt, pan, and zoom the cameras to see different locations in the plant. Two monitors located in the control tower al- low the operator to see the primary plant on one monitor and the secondary and tertiary plants on the other. Part of the community Many of the quarry employees live in Blackman, the small community where the quarry is located, so they care about what their neighbors think of the op- eration. They work hard at keeping the quarry out of sight, but work just as hard at keeping it in the community's mind, but in a positive way. "I live in this community, in a neigh- borhood two miles down the hill, and my kids go to school here," McGaffee says. "We defi nitely want to be a good neighbor. We're involved in Blackman and Stewart Creek schools and have built a good relationship with the school administrations. We do everything from teacher luncheons on teacher work days to working at fairs, such as book fairs at the schools or community fairs, to donat- ing to sports programs. We do a reading literacy program and donate books and computers to the schools. It gives us a face in the community." After material is crushed at the primary plant in the pit, it is carried via conveyor to a live storage surge pile on top. A guard was built beneath the conveyor where it crosses the quarry road to prevent material spillage from striking vehicles. Material runs through an enclosed screen tower at the secondary plant, where it is separated into three different products.