State of Michigan ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND Department of Natural Resources THE CONSTRUCTION AGGREGATE Geological Survey Division INDUSTRY Miscellany 1 Papers presented at Sixth Forum on Geology by William E. Hole, Jr., President of Industrial Minerals American Aggregate Company, Greenville, Ohio Theme II: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION STONES AND MINERALS Abstract Edited by The theme of the 70’s will be the environment. The W. A. Kneller construction aggregates industry, already in difficulty with local zoning control, will be further affected by the Cosponsored by requirements of the "new thing". However, it may well Department of Geology and Mineralogy, University of be that proposed legislation could be the vehicle which Michigan Department of Geology, University of Toledo not only satisfies the wants of the environmentalist but Convened at Horace H. Rackham Building also recognizes the need for a viable construction University of Michigan aggregates industry. Ann Arbor At the beginning of each new decade, wise men attempt April 2 and 3, 1970 to forecast the highlights of the upcoming ten years. In the past, there has been a lack of consensus upon the part of this honored group. However, there seems to be a general agreement upon the part of the Contents prognosticating community this year that the "Theme of THEME II: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION STONES the 70’s" will be the environment. AND MINERALS The actions of the Federal government generally reflect ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND THE the concerns of the public body. Seldom has our CONSTRUCTION AGGREGATE INDUSTRY, William government realigned itself so dramatically as it has with E. Hole, Jr......................................................................... 1 respect to this particular appeal. The "white hats" in Washington today are those who champion this cause. POTENTIAL USE OF OHIO LIMESTONES AND DOLOMITES FOR ARCHITECTURAL AGGREGATE, In the past two years the Federal government has David A. Stith................................................................... 4 entered the fields of water and air pollution. There is pending before the Congress at this time a "Surface TRANSPORTATION ADVANTAGE -- A UNIFYING Mining Reclamation Act". With the enactment of this FACTOR IN MINERAL AGGREGATE VALUATION, P. legislation, the Federal government will be involved in P. Hudec, J. R. Dunn, and S. T. Brown.......................... 9 the control of air, water and land -- and this is the EVALUATION OF THREE GRAVEL SAMPLING environment. METHODS, Thomas A. Herbert.................................... 12 The construction aggregate industry is involved in all A STUDY OF THE SAND AND GRAVEL DEPOSITS three of these environmental areas. With respect to air OF THE MAUMEE RIVER ESTUARY, Charles E. and water pollution, however, the solutions are finite Herdendorf and Lawrence L. Braidech ....................... 19 and, although burdensome, should not threaten our existence. In the area of land environmental problems, a SLAG - MICHIGAN'S ALL-PURPOSE totally different situation exists for the extraction process CONSTRUCTION AGGREGATE, R. Thomas Segall... 24 is in direct conflict with the basic precepts of the RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND environmentalist. It is in this area that I wish to direct my CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE BRASSFIELD remarks. LIMESTONE (SILURIAN) IN INDIANA, OHIO, AND The management of American Aggregates Corporation KENTUCKY, Donald D. Carr, Robert R. French, and has no quarrel with the basic objectives of the Robert F. Blakely........................................................... 32 environmentalists. It is our belief that it is each man’s THE CHALLENGE FOR THE GEOLOGIST IN THE duty to make this world a better place in which to live. EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRY, H. Lyn Bourne ................... 38 For the past fifty years our company has been recognized as the leader in the sand and gravel industry MICHIGAN'S CLAY DEPOSITS AND INDUSTRY, on the reclamation of worked-out lands. I should add Harry O. Sorensen......................................................... 41 that our "Project Parklands", the name we use to describe our reclamation efforts, is not purely motivated by our desire to be good neighbors. For over this period of fifty years we have found out that the reclamation business can be a profitable business. Miscellany 1, Theme II – Page 1 of 47 In most of the construction aggregate industries, this fact It is often said that "necessity is the mother of invention". should be true. Due to the heavy nature of our product, How true this statement is - and sometimes, I feel - how it is essential that production facilities be located as unfortunate. Let me illustrate. close as possible to the consuming market. Our people initially felt that we had run into a stone wall Transportation costs double the cost of our product to when we first encountered the "time" argument. An the user every twenty miles that the commodity must be analysis of the factual situation showed that historically hauled. Therefore, most producing plants are located operators in our industry have selected plant sites within metropolitan areas. (hopefully removed from existing nearby homes) and Due to the rapid urbanization of our country which will be then conducted the operations outbound from this site to further accelerated by the current population explosion, the boundaries of the properties. There seemed to be there exists a ready market for the lands excavated and no reason to consider any other mode of operation. properly reclaimed by the construction aggregate On the other hand, consider the situation enjoyed by the industry. neighbors. Initially, the operations are distant and Furthermore, lakeside residential lots command twice therefore seem to be relatively innocuous. However, the selling price per acre as lots located elsewhere. We every year the mining operations get closer and closer -- have a commercial development overlooking a large the neighbors become more and more unhappy as time lake in North Columbus, Ohio, where an acre lot to passes. It isn't until the operator has reached the limits accommodate the district office of a major oil company of the property, if he is that lucky, that he finally reclaims was sold for a price of $150,000. This payment the area which enhances the value of the adjoining represented twice the original cost of the total tract which properties. encompassed 150 acres. It should have been evident years ago that, considering It would be foolhardy to think that every reclamation the cost of working the whole property, the total cost of project will generate such rewards. But at some date in working the property was essentially the same whether the future, all projects will have greater value than if our the operator started at the plant and worked outbound or operations had not taken place. Furthermore, to be started at the perimeter and worked plantward. economic, reclamation must be done as an integral part Furthermore, I have already pointed out how valuable of the excavation process. So when active operations these lands become after: reclamation. Through have ceased, the land is completely rehabilitated. experience our company has learned that when working One might think that with such a record our company outbound we could not dispose of any reclaimed lands would have no problems obtaining from zoning boards until the whole operation was completed. If we worked the right to excavate on gravel-bearing lands which we from the perimeter inward, we could release reclaimed may purchase. This is not the case. lands as fast as we desired, thereby permitting our company to realize the potential value much sooner. When the public hears the words "sand and gravel", it does not think of "Project Parklands". Instead, it thinks Psychologists tell us that the human body can stand of all the abandoned pits which dot the countryside. intense pain as long as the individual knows that relief is Generally, we can convince the neighbors that when our not far away. On the other hand, that same body will operations are completed, their property values will be tolerate a much lower level of pain if the individual feels enhanced. But the word "when" suggests a time factor, that it is going to get worse. I feel that this description is and, as Shakespeare stated, "Aye there’s the rub". analogous to the relative effects upon the neighbor of the inbound and outbound operating techniques. In order to generate low-cost material for the construction market, one important factor is sufficient life As a result of our difficulties in obtaining neighborhood over which to amortize developmental and plant costs. acceptance and thereby the right from a local zoning At a minimum a ten-year life is necessary and a twenty- board to operate, we have changed out pit operating year life is preferable. procedures in such a way that we complete operations along our boundaries first. Because we have made this Those neighbors who recognize the future benefits to change, we can realize the potential gains in reclaimed their own property are generally unwilling to wait the 10 properties much sooner. to 20 years until such gains could be realized. So through the expedient of local politics, zoning boards are I am convinced that there are other changes in operating induced to refuse to grant the right to excavate procedures which could make our industry more construction materials. acceptable to the urban areas in which we must exist. Despite this fact, I am also convinced that, even if