Pit & Quarry articles from April 2002

Pit & Quarry archives from April 2002

The estimated annual production of crushed stone shipped.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * The estimated annual production of crushed stone shipped for consumption in 2001 was 1.65 billion metric tons, a 5.8 percent increase compared with 2000, according to the latest statistics from the U.S. Dept. of the Interior's geological...

The estimated annual production of construction sand and gravel.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * The estimated annual production of construction sand and gravel shipped for consumption in 2001 was 1.13 billion metric tons, a 0.9 percent increase compared with 2000. Year 2001 total annual production of construction sand and gravel was...

Legislation introduced into the Senate to control the use of explosives.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Legislation introduced into the Senate to control the use of explosives, called The Safe Explosives Act of 2002, would set up a two-tiered permitting system designed to close the loophole found in the intrastate purchase of explosives. Read...

Seventeen mining fatalities.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Seventeen mining fatalities have occurred this year compared with seven fatalities during the same period in 2001 and 11 fatal accidents during the same period in 2000, MSHA says.

Luck Stone Corp.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Luck Stone Corp. has received three top awards from NSSGA, a Pantheon Award, a Community Relations Award and a Showplace Award for its Fairfax Plant.

WASHINGTON WIRE.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... MSHA has clarified two provisions of its Diesel Particulate Matter Rule (DPM), which covers all underground operations with diesel equipment, including aggregates mines. In the requirement to affix a tag to equipment when a miner notes evidence...

RED FLAGS.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... [C] The Bush administration proposes cutting MSHA's overall budget from $268 million in 2002 to $264 million in 2003. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's budget would be cut from $457 million in 2002 to $449 million in 2003.

STOCK WATCH.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... STOCK WATCH (at press time) THIS MONTH LAST MONTH Centex Construction Prod. d 36.90 32.65 Florida Rock Industries d 41.89 39.63 Hanson Plc d 36.35 31.30...

Essential Economics.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Monthly Construction Contract Value Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates, in Millions Jan. 2002 Dec. 2001 % Change Nonresidential Building $165,539 $153,747 +8 Residential Building ...

Construction put in place during December 2001.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Construction put in place during December 2001 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $863.6 billion, about the same as the revised November estimate, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Wages and salaries at U.S.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Wages and salaries at U.S. aggregates operations lag far behind those at U.S. coal mines, according to the results of two surveys conducted by Western Mine Engineering Inc. Check out complete survey results at www.westernmine.com.

Handy data.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Cummins Inc. unveiled the QuickCheck II system for Palm or HandEra handheld devices, designed to easily read and capture engine, transmission and brake system information from electronic diesel engines. Using the parameter screen on the Palm...

Three for the road.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Castrol Heavy Duty Lubricants introduced a new product line of three high-performance diesel engine oils, including: Castrol Enduron S -- a synthetic blend diesel engine oil that is the top grade product among the new diesel engine oils;...

May the force be with you.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Eriez Ultra Force heavy-duty, mechanical, vibrating feeders provide a reliable, economical and controlled way to move up to 2,500 tph of bulk materials at either fixed or variable rates. Capacities range from 260 to 2,500 tph based on dry sand...

Hanson Building Materials America issues operations report.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... In its most recent operations report, Hanson Building Materials America (HBMA) says that aggregates selling price increases of 2.7 percent overall were achieved in 2001, which, when combined with cost savings in heritage operations, has...

Maine.(borrowing money and opening road may end conflict with gravel pit owners)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Voters will be asked at a town meeting to approve a plan recommended by selectmen to borrow $125,000 to reopen Horseback Road to traffic between Route 2 in Carmel and Route 222 in Levant, and end a nine-year legal battle with three gravel pit...

Maryland.(Chaney Enterprises wants expansion at sand and gravel mining operation)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Chaney Enterprises wants to expand its sand and gravel mining operation off Sands Road in Harwood, a plan that's attracted less opposition than other similar ideas. The company is seeking a special exception to mine 15 acres starting this...

Pennsylvania.(theft at Harmony Sand and Gravel; Hanson PLC; Naceville Materials Quarry and dried wells)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Thomas A. Shriver of Swamp Road, Phillipsburg, Pa., was sentenced to 50 hours of community service and one year probation for theft by deception. Shriver was ordered to repay $437.50 to Richard Hummer, owner of Harmony Sand & Gravel Inc....

Illinois.(township government must be knowledgable regarding zoning)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * The inability of the Kane County Board to block construction of a proposed asphalt plant in unincorporated Dundee Township prompted Board Chairman Mike McCoy to recommend that members who might want to halt such projects in the future should...

Michigan.(Michigan Aggregates Association's Safety Committee develops safety guides; homebuilding forecast)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * The Michigan Aggregates Association's Safety Committee has developed two new guides to assist members with MSHA compliance. The Safety Committee's revised Noise Rule Guide contains additional forms to help with the documentation process, as...

Missouri.(Doe Run Co. to explore in Mark Twain National Forest; MoDOT specifications; Holcim Inc. cement plant in doubt)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * The U.S. Forest Service is allowing Doe Run Co. to explore for minerals in Mark Twain National Forest, a move that appears to end several years of haggling between the lead company and environmentalists. The Forest Service announced that it...

Ohio.
April 1, 2002... * The Ohio Aggregates & Industrial Minerals Association (OAIMA) hosted a Legislative Day on March 13, 2002 at the Athletic Club of Columbus. The format included a luncheon in honor of the legislative staff members of the 124th General Assembly....

Wisconsin.(includes several articles)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Road reconstruction has become faster and more cost-effective with less impact on the environment thanks to a technique pioneered by Wisconsin Electric-Wisconsin Gas. Working with Professor Jim Crovetti of Marquette University, Mineral...

Florida.(battle over state permitting procedures)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Business and environmental groups are going head-to-head on proposals limiting a citizen's rights to file appeals to state permitting decisions. Industry and agricultural groups claim that frivolous appeals threaten businesses across the...

North Carolina.(mining safety education requirements)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Blasters of surface mines would be required to complete 40 hours of training prior to getting their certification, and would have to take eight hours of refresher training annually under a bill passed by the House of Delegates. "It's just a...

New Mexico.(Santa Fe County sues over illegal mine)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Santa Fe County has sued a man over what county officials contend is an illegal sand and gravel mine in the Santa Fe River bottom. Mike Roybal has countersued, alleging the county is trying to destroy the value of his M&R Sand and Gravel mine...

Montana.(Canyon Resources Corp. to auction mineral rights)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * Canyon Resources Corp. announced plans to auction mineral rights to nearly one-million acres in western Montana. Some of the property is along the shore of Flathead Lake, says Richard De Voto, president of the Golden, Colo., company. "For a...

Nevada.(Oil-Dri Corp. cat litter plans nixed)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * County commissioners denied the Oil-Dri Corp. a permit to mine and process cat litter but company officials insisted it would not stop them from mining the clay on the outskirts of Reno. The Washoe County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to...

California.(proposed Transit Mixed Concrete facility nixed; endangered plants)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * The county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to reject a concrete company's plans for a huge sand and gravel mine in the Santa Clarita area. The supervisors turned down Transit Mixed Concrete's appeal of a county Regional Planning...

Idaho.(House approves mining industry bailout)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... * House tax committee members endorsed a $1.3 million bailout of Idaho's mining industry, despite the state's budget crisis. Several members of the House Revenue and Taxation Committee says the move seemed appropriate after last year's...

Oregon.
April 1, 2002... * Heavy winds created a leak in a gravel barge and water seeped inside the structure just off Myrtle Edwards Park, causing it to flip upside down. No one was hurt. The barge has been providing sand and gravel for a sewer overflow project,...

Getting a Read On Rental : The equipment rental business is healthy even as it experiences growing pains.(Industry Overview)
April 1, 2002... Equipment rental is now larger than equipment manufacturing in both North America and the world, according to Dan Kaplan, Dan Kaplan & Associates, an expert on rental trends in the construction equipment industry. He says in a newsletter...

Guidance from above.(Caterpillar offers computerized surveying system for construction equipment)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Caterpillar's CAESultra is an advanced Computer Aided Earthmoving System (CAES) used for grade and slope control, material and ore extraction guidance, and compactor tracking. Caterpillar says CAESultra is faster, easier to use and more robust...

Ahead of the curve.(ExxonMobil's Delvac 1300 Super 15W-40 motor oil)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... CI-4 quality Mobil Delvac 1300 Super 15W-40 features patented Trimer technology to provide unprecedented engine oil performance in all heavy-duty commercial vehicle applications. It helps customers stay ahead of the upcoming American Petroleum...

Europe's latest drill rig.(from Junttan)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Junttan's newest drill rig -- PM 18-30 -- is a medium-sized unit that combines heavy-duty performance with ease of transportation and high flexibility in handling. The new model features a 300 kNm torque drill motor for drilling bore...

Unique dredge.(from Fordyce Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The R.W.B. dredge from Fordyce Ltd. has a number of unusual features, including a double right angle gearbox for the pump drive. The overall dimensions are 115 ft. long, 34 ft. wide and 8 ft. deep. The main engine is a 3516 Caterpillar,...

Up the down staircase.(continue working on developing e-business evern during recession)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... At press time, the near-term economic forecast is favorable -- a probable end to the recession. According to Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, "Recent evidence increasingly suggests that an economic expansion is already well under way."...

Online training.(offered by John Deere and Co. to employees)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Online training -- John Deere & Co. is renewing its commitment to offer employees and dealers online training and education through John Deere Online Univ. (JDU). The company continues to experience positive results and return on its investment...

Air filtration.(Ventilex USA creates new Web site for its line of dryers, air filters, etc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Air filtration -- Ventilex USA has created its new Web site, www.ventilex.net, to better serve customers seeking information or technical data about its full line of fluid bed dryers and coolers, air filtration systems and sterilization...

Self promotion.(how to use internet links)(Brief Article)(Column)
April 1, 2002... In "Ten Things You Need to Know About Linking and Link Popularity," author Eric Ward cites a number of suggestions that will help bring visitors to your site. Ward says, "Understanding linking and link popularity is crucial for achieving high...

Heavy Hauling : A loading and hauling operation relies on Terex rigid-frame trucks to move heaps of heavy slag.(Column)
April 1, 2002... Many on-site contractors who crush and screen rock, asphalt paving or concrete prefer the use of articulated trucks for transporting the material from the point of excavation to the point of crushing/screening. This is particularly so if the...

Demand Means Expand : Mid Michigan Materials Inc. invests in new equipment to help meet the state's need for more and more aggregate.
April 1, 2002... Michigan is in the midst of a major battle. The concrete and asphalt industries are fighting over more than $1 billion in annual highway spending by state and local governments. Also, consider that the Michigan chapter of the American Concrete...

Level monitor.(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... Bernhard Inc.'s level monitor for liquids and solids houses both the sensor and the transmitter within the same enclosure. The new Model 8000-KM transmits an ultrasonic pulse, which is directed toward the product to be monitored. The time it...

Articulated haul truck.(Advertisement)
April 1, 2002... John Deere's 250D, 300D, 350D and 400D articulated dump trucks (ADTs) increase productivity through numerous design improvements that deliver a higher horsepower to weight ratio. Other enhancements increase operator comfort and fuel efficiency...

Casting material.(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... Kennametal's KenCast composite castings material combines the exceptional hardness of cemented tungsten carbide with the practicality and toughness of air-hardening steel. The result, the company says, is a wear material that far outlasts...

Screen plant.(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... Eagle Crusher Co. has packaged its UltraMax 1000-l5CV for low-cost, high-production of 3/4-in. cubical roadbase product, while meeting the strict travel requirements of most states. The new UltraMax Power Package includes a specially designed,...

Vibrating screens.(Advertisement)
April 1, 2002... An 8-ft. x 20-ft., triple-deck model from JCI's new incline vibrating screen line is now available. Additional sizes are under development. Innovative design features include heavy-duty 3/8-in.-thick steel side plates with enhanced reinforcing...

Cranes.(Advertisement)
April 1, 2002... The telescopic jibs of Liebherr's TT cranes can be run out to six or seven positions under load. The 32 TT has a specific load characteristic at each of its seven jib lengths, with the jib either horizontal or raised at an angle. Since the...

Drilling.(Advertisement)
April 1, 2002... Rockmore International's new Xtreme series of button bits are designed to handle extreme hard and abrasive rock conditions in percussive surface drilling. The bits are ideally suited for quarrying, mining and construction-drilling applications....

Standard sieves.(Advertisement)
April 1, 2002... Endecotts standard sieves from CSC Scientific Co. Inc. are made of all stainless steel material, which is harder and more durable than brass. Endecotts' unique fillet design makes the standard sieves easy to clean and also keeps the mesh taut....

Belt cleaning.(Advertisement)
April 1, 2002... A new addition to the Eliminator belt-cleaning systems from Flexco -- the M-Type precleaner for underground mines and worst-case aboveground applications -- features a more massive blade that firmly shaves off thick, heavy, wet, clinging...

Air monitor.(Advertisement)
April 1, 2002... The new DataRam 4 dual-wavelength aerosol monitor from Thermo Anderson continuously measures, displays and logs the concentrations and sizes of airborne particulates. The DataRam 4 provides direct, real-time readout of concentrations of...

Linings.(Advertisement)
April 1, 2002... Rhino Linings manufactures sprayed-on, polyurethane linings that protect vehicles, equipment and facilities from damage caused by wear and tear in demanding work environments. Rhino forms an airtight, non-skid barrier that protects virtually...

U.S. cement producers allege government inaction violates rights.(under North American Free Trade Agreement)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Southern Tier Cement Committee (STCC), an ad hoc association of 27 U.S. cement producers, filed a petition with the Secretariat responsible for antidumping disputes under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The petition asks...

Governors press President Bush on highway funding issue.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The National Governors Association (NGA) convened a meeting in Washington and protested to the Bush administration about the highway fund cuts proposed in the federal budget for FY 2003. Additionally, Republican Governors separately met...

Contracting, including highways/bridges, up in January.(up 2% to $491.4 billion)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... Contracting for new construction in January increased 2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $491.4 billion, it was reported by the F.W. Dodge Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies. Nonresidential building rebounded after a weak...

McCain proposes using Highway Trust Fund for rail projects.(Senator John McCain)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Senator John McCain (R-AZ), the Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, has introduced legislation that would allow states to use money from the Highway Trust Fund to pay for intercity passenger rail...

Making statistical mayhem.(goals of reducing accident statistics by percentage points naive)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... Prior to the troubling news recently reported by MSHA that 2002 mining fatalities are currently three times higher than last year, you might have thought from reading the agency's press releases and listening to its public pronouncements that...

Ordering a drug user back to work.(discharging drug-user may be harder than you think)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... If an employee tests positive for marijuana use, the employer has a right to discharge the employee, right? Not necessarily. In a January 2002 decision in Brachen v. Dixon Industries Inc., the Supreme Court of Kansas, much as you would...

Penalties lowered against small stone operator; MSHA jurisdiction upheld.(Tide Creek Rock Inc., Mine Safety and Health Administration)
April 1, 2002... The Review Commission's chief judge, David F. Barbour, assessed penalties totaling $985 for 20 violations of Part 56 standards at Tide Creek Rock Inc.'s small, family owned crushed stone operation located in Columbia County, Ore., and upheld...