Vulcan North Carolina Quarry on Track
Vulcan Materials Co. plans to begin development of a 68-acre property to be known as the Rockingham Quarry North Site in North Carolina to support its existing Rockingham Quarry, according to the Richmond Country Daily Journal. This expansion represents a 7.5% increase in Vulcan’s current 902 acres of permitted area in Richmond County, 38 acres of which will be mining area, and will allow the company to begin a new round of hiring, according to a spokesman for the company. The project is expected to be completed this fall.
“This project demonstrates growth and strength in the local and regional economy and will serve as a catalyst that will help us continue generating economic and community benefits in Richmond County,” said Rockingham Quarry Plant Manager Matthew Medlin in a press release. “For more than 50 years, the Rockingham Quarry has served as an important economic engine for Richmond County and a local community partner, which will continue heading into 2020 and beyond.”
Colorado Quarry Expansion in Question
Chad Brownstein retired as CEO of Rocky Mountain Resources (RMR), even as the company wants to expand a limestone quarry outside of Glenwood Springs, Colo., according to CPR News. Brownstein’s retirement comes at a time of reported financial trouble for the natural resources company. The company’s most recent financial report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission states that independent auditors have expressed “substantial doubt as to [RMR›s] ability to continue as a going concern due to [RMR›s] limited liquidity and [RMR’s] lack of revenues.”
RMR does not generate adequate cash flow to support its existing operations, according to the filing, and “the historical and existing capital structure is not adequate to fund our planned growth.” That growth includes the plan to expand its limestone quarry.
The report states that cash needs are “significant due to our business plan, which contemplates future acquisitions, development of the company’s Rail Park asset and expansion of the company’s mining operations.” However the company also states it should be able to raise “sufficient amounts of working capital in the near term through debt or equity offerings as may be required to meet short-term obligations, although this cannot be guaranteed.”
Martin Marietta Quarry Stymied in Missouri
Martin Marietta representatives made a request for a special use permit to expand a Missouri mining operation south toward Cass County, Mo., for the next 30 years and for a farm annexed by the city of Greenwood, Mo., to be rezoned from agricultural to M-2. Planning commissioners on the six-member board voted 5-0 against the special use permit with one commissioner abstaining. They voted 3-2 against the rezoning.
According to Fox4KC.com, he debate over the expansion comes after the city of Greenwood and property owners won lawsuits against Martin Marietta for “damaging roads and being a public nuisance.” The new permit would allow for a conveyor belt and 24/7 operations. Greenwood would also get 6 cents per ton from mining operations over the next 30 years if Greenwood City Council votes contrary to the Planning Commission’s recommendations.
Michigan Board Denies Permit
The Metamora Township, Mich., board contested American Aggregates of Michigan’s (AAOM) assertion that it specifically needs sand and gravel from a portion of the D-bar-A Boy Scout Ranch versus other locations in southeast or mid-Michigan to serve its customers in the road and building construction industries.
Township trustees voted unanimously to follow the township planning commission’s recommendation to deny the AAOM request toward its Phase 1 application to mine from the D-bar-A Ranch.
AAOM wants to extract 30 million tons of sand and gravel from approximately 500 acres from the Boy Scout camp for the next 30 years. The mining operation would result in hundreds of gravel trains every day onto Dryden Road through the hearts of downtown Metamora and Dryden. Local officials worry should a gravel mine application be approved for the D-bar-A site that it would ruin the charm of Metamora and Dryden as well as the rural nature of the community’s iconic horse country destination status, according to The County Press.