• GZA received the Rock Solid Excellence in Safety Award from the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers (IAAP) for the 13th year in a row. The company’s Mark Krumenacher is also the proud recipient of the IAAP’s Associate Member Leadership Award for his tireless work for the organization promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship in mining.
• Silica sand has been discovered deep beneath the ground in southern Manitoba, Canada. “We believe it’s a viable mineral to produce,” said Trevor Martens, vice president of market development at Evolve Surface Strategies. “What we don’t know at this time and what we’re still going through with all of our testing, is we don’t know how to do it yet.” In 2017, HD Minerals made a large mineral stake in southern Manitoba. Over the course of 2017 and 2018 the company drilled at about 28 test locations, finding silica sand approximately 200 ft. below the ground.
• “Base ceramic revenue for 2018 increased 3% year-on-year while frac sand related revenue increased 21% year-on-year. The decline in the industry’s demand for frac sand, seen in the second half of 2018, impacted our sand sales volumes resulting in a decline relative to the first half of 2018,” Carbo Ceramics CEO Gary Kolstad said, commenting on its 2018 performance.