Dear Mr. Markley:

I read the article “Quarrying in Karst” in Rock Products' March 2003 issue with some concern. No matter what the typography, it is wise for us to be aware of mining's potential impacts on the surrounding environment. Appropriate engineering controls can then be implemented to prevent or mitigate any damage. This article, however, extravagantly sensationalizes potential impacts with minimal attention to the fact that problems in the field are extremely rare. A few statements near the end about reclamation in general appeared to be an effort to provide balance, but they weren't relevant to the karst issue.

Missouri is referred to as “The Cave State” (about 5,600 known) because we have large areas of karst topography that facilitate their creation. Several caves are open commercially and add significantly to our tourist appeal. Beautiful above-ground karst areas exist that were created by this type of geology (Rock Bridge State Park near Columbia is a notable example). Missouri is also consistently in the top 10 states in crushed stone production. A significant portion of this production is mined from what could be broadly defined as karst topography. If any state would have examples of the negative impacts of quarrying in karst, we would be it. This is not the case.

An inquiry at the Missouri Department of Natural Resource's Division of Geological Survey and Resource Assessment informed me that that agency knows of no cases in which limestone quarrying has lowered the quality of groundwater, resulted in the extinction of cave species, or has caused any of the other damages described in the article.

On a related topic, the article states that “…blasting can cause fugitive dust that covers leaf surfaces in surrounding foliage. The leaf stomata are blocked, limiting gas exchange, thus limiting photosynthesis and killing the plant, altering the terrain and its inhabiting wildlife.” Is there one example in the U.S. where this dire scenario has taken place? I must point out that Missouri has more than 10,000 miles of unpaved public roads, most of which are covered with limestone aggregate. Dust emissions from traffic on them are unregulated and typically uncontrolled. Shouldn't we have roadside badlands that rival South Dakota's? On the contrary, vegetation along these roads seems to be unaffected, and some say it appears to be healthier that other nearby vegetation.

The problem with this article (and the study on which it is based) is that it gives any group opposed to a quarry opening or expansion ample “documentation” to inflame emotions that are far out of proportion to actual experience. Imagine a quarry owner being confronted with statements such as:

• “It doesn't take much to disrupt the balance of a karst environment.”
• “The system responds, setting off another response and creating a chain of events that result in enormous consequences.”
• “Cascading impacts can manifest immediately or many years after the mining operation has ceased, and can spread far beyond the boundaries of the quarry.”
• “Any quarrying activity that intersects or changes water levels or flow patterns in any way (emphasis mine) can cause significant impact.”
• “Sinkhole collapse is one of the most obvious impacts of quarrying in karst environments.”
• “Removing overburden can weaken the site.”
• “Vibrations from blasting or other activities can weaken karst structures and cause collapse, as can loading from heavy equipment.”

With this information available on the internet, it's only a matter of time before this happens. Confronted with such statements, how do you convince neighbors or zoning boards that none of these dire consequences are even remotely likely to occur? If asked to “prove” that your quarry will not cause any of this, what do you say?

Sincerely,

Steve Rudloff, Manager
Missouri Limestone Producers Association

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