Pit & Quarry articles from November 2002

Pit & Quarry archives from November 2002

Congress passes a new legislative provision. (Top News).(highway construction funding)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * Congress passes a new legislative provision designed to ensure that, for the duration of a Continuing Resolution (CR), funding of the highway program will continue at the FY 2002 level of $31.8 billion. Republicans initially defeat an...

Cemex SA de CV names ExxonMobil Corp.'s Lubricants & Specialties unit. (Top News).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * Cemex SA de CV names ExxonMobil Corp.'s Lubricants & Specialties unit its sole supplier of lubricants and in-plant lubrication services. The companies say the agreement covers industrial, commercial vehicle and passenger vehicle lubricants...

Lafarge North America sells its four concrete plants in the St. Louis area. (Top News).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * Lafarge North America sells its four concrete plants in the St. Louis area. Breckenridge Material Co. of Webster Groves purchases Lafarge's Eureka, St. Charles and Jefferson County plants. Concrete Resources Inc. of Columbia, Ill., purchases...

Terex Corp. announces a new operating structure. (Top News).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * Terex Corp. announces a new operating structure organizing the company into four primary reporting groups: Terex Cranes, Terex Construction, Terex Mining, and Terex Roadbuilding and Utility Products. For more producer news, see the...

Stock watch. (Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics).(Illustration)
November 1, 2002... STOCK WATCH (at press time) THIS MONTH LAST MONTH Centex Construction Prod. d 36.46 35.97 Florida Rock Industries f 34.51 35.00 Hanson Plc f 25.57 ...

Washington wire. (Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics).(Mine Safety and Health Administration announces Kevin Burns appointment, releases Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... MSHA has released an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for its health rule governing diesel particulate matter exposure of underground metal and nonmetal miners. The ANPRM is the first step by MSHA to codify agreements reached July...

Red flags. (Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics).(American Portland Cement Alliance merged with the Portland Cement Association)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * The cement industry has merged the American Portland Cement Alliance, its Washington, D.C.-based government affairs arm, with the Portland Cement Association, a trade group based in suburban Chicago.

Essential economics. (Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics).(monthly construction contract value, July and August)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Monthly Construction Contract Value Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates, in Millions August 2002 July 2002 % Change Nonresidential Building $154,765 $138,716 +12 Residential Building...

Construction put in place for July 2002 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted rate of $834 billion. (Other Economic News).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * Construction put in place for July 2002 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted rate of $834 billion, about the same as the month previous, and 1 percent less than last year, says the U.S. Census Bureau.

Portland cement consumption declined 2.1 percent in July. (Other Economic News).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * Portland cement consumption declined 2.1 percent in July, according to the Portland Cement Association. Cement consumption has now declined for five months in a row. Year-to-date consumption is down 2.2 percent.

Bare-knuckled brawl. (Mark My Words).(reauthorization of TEA-21)(Editorial)
November 1, 2002... No one can deny that one of the main issues facing the aggregates industry right now is the reauthorization of TEA-21. The federal funding mechanism for infrastructure construction is up for renewal next year, and the lobbying effort that will...

New family member. (Brand new: just released to the market).
November 1, 2002... Designed for efficient operation, durability, safety and comfort in large construction and small quarry applications, Komatsu America Corp. has introduced a new member to its dump truck family, the HD465-7. The new model replaces the HD465-5....

Thinking machines. (Brand new: just released to the market).
November 1, 2002... In a continued expansion of its CX Series of hydraulic excavators, Case introduces the CX330 and CX460 models with increased power, automatic operation mode and high-performance hydraulics. The addition of the CX330 and CX460 brings the Case CX...

Automatic classifier. (Brand new: just released to the market).
November 1, 2002... The new Gradex 3000 particle size analyzer from Rotex Inc. improves or expands quality control programs by providing reliable, fully automatic sieve analysis for the gradation of aggregate material. Designed for classifying materials such as...

ExxonMobil in pact as sole supplier to Cemex. (Stockpile: the latest producer news).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Cemex SA de CV named ExxonMobil Corp.'s Lubricants & Specialties unit its sole supplier of lubricants and in-plant lubrication services. Financial terms were not disclosed. In a joint press release, Cemex and ExxonMobil say the agreement...

Breckenridge Material buys three Lafarge concrete plants. (Stockpile: the latest producer news).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Lafarge North America has sold its four concrete plants in the St. Louis area. Breckenridge Material Co. of Webster Groves purchased Lafarge's Eureka, St. Charles and Jefferson County plants. Concrete Resources Inc. of Columbia, Ill., purchased...

Luck Stone Corp. recognized for its educational Rock Kit. (Stockpile: the latest producer news).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Virginia-based Luck Stone Corp., the 15th largest construction aggregates supplier in the United States, has been awarded the 2002 Community Impact Award by the Virginia Aggregates Association (VAA). The Community Impact Award honors a...

Delaware. (Northeast).(Versar Inc. announced the award of a three-year contract)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Versar Inc. announced the award of a three-year contract, worth about $500,000, to study offshore sand mining. The extensive beach restoration projects that are on going or anticipated along the East Coast, including those in the states of...

New York. (Northeast).(Singer Natalie Merchant opposes a coal-burning cement plant )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Singer Natalie Merchant is using her voice to oppose a coal-burning cement plant proposed in the Hudson Valley, near her home. The 38-year-old solo artist and former lead singer of the band 10,000 Maniacs protested the St. Lawrence Cement Co....

Pennsylvania. (Northeast).(safety has not been an issue with truck traffic using Wilson Avenue in Leola)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... East Lampeter Township Police Chief Dale Jerchau told the Upper Leacock supervisors that statistics show safety has not been an issue with truck traffic using Wilson Avenue in Leola. The East Lampeter police department oversees police services...

Rhode Island. (Northeast).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Resource Recovery Corp., faced with conflicting opinions about whether it can dictate routes for trucks using the state Central Landfill, has decided to seek advice from the state police and the Department of Transportation. Trucks that...

Virginia. (Northeast).(Educational Rock and Mineral Garden )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Commonwealth of Virginia's Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy designed an Educational Rock and Mineral Garden to display a portion of Virginia's geological variety. The educational display will contribute to the understanding of the...

Illinois. (North Central).(Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers seminar)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers (IAAP) Associates Division will conduct an all-day seminar focusing on every aspect of screening on November 13. This seminar will cover Crushing and screening objectives; Types of screens;...

Iowa. (North Central).(NPDES General Permit No.3 expires)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The NPDES General Permit No.3, which covers storm-water discharge associated with industrial activity, expired October 1 for many Iowa producers. There has been some confusion regarding which permit covers the quarrying industry. General Permit...

Ohio. (North Central).(proposed limestone quarry )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Miami County Board of Zoning Appeals heard almost four hours of testimony on a proposed limestone quarry in Union Twp., but many more await the opportunity to comment. Most of the up to 200 people on hand stood to be sworn in as possible...

Wisconsin. (North Central).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Aggregate Producers of Wisconsin report that the recently enacted budget repair bill was designed to allow the state to pay its bills through the end of this biennium (June 30, 2003). Faced with a $1.3 billion deficit, the legislature and...

Alabama. (Southeast).(granite quarry near Opelika)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Alabama Environmental Management Commission voted to allow a Florida company to operate a granite quarry near Opelika, despite objections from the governor and local residents. The commission, which runs the Alabama Department of...

South Carolina. (Southeast).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Mining would be allowed under a conditional use in residential/agricultural zoning districts, according to a final draft of a proposed Laurens county-wide zoning ordinance. The change was made after Hanson Aggregates Southeast decided to start...

New Mexico. (South Central).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Frustration is building for some people concerned about the future of the Santa Fe River as officials from Santa Fe County and M&R Sand and Gravel remain locked in a legal battle. For the past 10 years, John Mendiola says he has witnessed...

Texas. (South Central).(higher asthma rates among students at school across street from quarry)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Students at four elementary schools in El Paso have higher-than-average rates of asthma and other respiratory problems, according to preliminary analysis of an Environmental Protection Agency study. Of the four schools with the higher asthma...

Arizona. (Rocky Mountain).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The University of Arizona's Society of Mining Engineering is sponsoring a photo contest for Arizona high school students in an effort aimed at teaching students about mining operations. Winners will receive cash prizes, hats and t-shirts and...

Montana. (Rocky Mountain).(plan to build a gravel mine near Lockwood School)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Yellowstone County commissioners met with county attorneys, to discuss stipulations commissioners have put on a plan to build a gravel mine near Lockwood School. The meeting came a week after the state Supreme Court said commissioners had...

California. (West).(Construction Materials Association of California conference)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Construction Materials Association of California (CMAC) invites proposals for presentations at the 2003 Annual Conference, February 18-19, 2003. This conference serves as the annual event for aggregate, ready mix and asphalt producers to...

Technology to the Rescue: the ability to quickly pump out rising water played a major role in the rescue of nine miners. Part two of a two-part series. (Special Report).
November 1, 2002... Pumps played a key role in the rescue of the nine Pennsylvania coal miners this summer. In part one of "Technology to the Rescue," we examined equipment used to locate and drill down to the miners. Once that was accomplished, water needed to be...

Reedrill auger. (Special Report).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Drilling equipment from Reedrill was on the scene as a Texoma Taurus XL auger built in 1989 was utilized by driller Charles J. Merlo Inc. of Mineral Point, Pa. (The Taurus line is now known as Reedrill's Magnum XL brand.) "I was running the...

State, federal authorities to probe all deep mines. (Special Report).
November 1, 2002... State and federal officials are conducting an extensive probe of the events at Quecreek mine, including a wide-ranging safety check of underground mining operations throughout the nation. Also under review are policies of the Mine Safety and...

Geared up. (Tech watch: cutting-edge solutions).
November 1, 2002... The new Browning Torq Taper Plus shaft-mounted reducer from Emerson Power Transmission offers two unique patent-pending features. The reversible mounting system was designed with a single tapered bushing that mounts from either side of the...

Portable and inexpensive. (Tech watch: cutting-edge solutions).
November 1, 2002... The new Universal 5160 Impact Master primary portable plant from Universal Engineering Corp. was designed and engineered to meet the |demands of cost-conscious aggregates and recycling producers. An Andreas-style primary impactor complete with...

Blasting plugs. (Tech watch: cutting-edge solutions).
November 1, 2002... Mocap Inc.'s Vari-Stem blasting plugs decrease mean size of post blast muckpile 27 percent, according to the company, including a 25 ton-per-hour increase in tonnage through the primary crusher. Mocap says this is a major improvement over other...

The don'ts and don'ts. (eBusiness: update for the wired world).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... "Put yourself in your visitors' shoes." That's the advice of author Christine James in an Inc.com article entitled "10 Ways to Lose Web Site Visitors." James says she reviewed several personal and business Web sites, noting many features that...

Industry gear. (eBusiness: update for the wired world).
November 1, 2002... Shop online at Pit & Quarry's Merchandise Mart for the latest aggregate-industry gear. We offer a variety of fun industry products--from "Got Rocks?" coffee mugs to Pit & Quarry caps, and "My Dad Crushes Rocks for a Living" lunchboxes to Pit &...

A recent Benchmark Research survey in the UK sponsored by business solutions software provider Sage has shown a marked increase in awareness of the benefits of e-business within the manufacturing industry.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... A recent Benchmark Research survey in the UK sponsored by business solutions software provider Sage has shown a marked increase in awareness of the benefits of e-business within the manufacturing industry. When compared with results gathered in...

Columbia Steel Casting Co. Inc., a replacement wear parts manufacturer, recently unveiled its new Web site at www.columbiasteel.com.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Columbia Steel Casting Co. Inc., a replacement wear parts manufacturer, recently unveiled its new Web site at www.columbiasteel.com. The company says it offers more information, more images and improved navigation. There are also electronic...

Castrol Heavy Duty Lubricants (www.castrolhdl.com) offers Castrol Labcheck Online.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Castrol Heavy Duty Lubricants (www.castrolhdl.com) offers Castrol Labcheck Online. This allows Castrol Labcheck sample results to be retrieved from the Internet 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This comes in response to the growing emphasis...

Look out below: Brannan Sand & Gravel finds that bottom dump trucks lead them to the top. (E&T Hauling).
November 1, 2002... Drilling, blasting, crushing and screening are major activities required for producing rock products at a quarry. Once the rock products are made, then what? Simple, they need to be delivered. What this all leads to is the need for a materials...

Reclamation, Part 2: to the next level. (E&T Reclamation).
November 1, 2002... Last month, in "Reclamation, Part 1: The Bare Minimum," we examined basic reclamation--returning land to its natural state and making mined-out sites safe for the community. This month, we look at projects that take reclamation to the next...

Blasting seismograph. (Product Highlight).
November 1, 2002... The GeoSonics/Vibra-Tech SSU 3000LCP Plus seismograph combines convenience with durability. Its features include a full-sized keyboard for easy data entry, an 80-character LCD for immediate display of results and a large thermal printer that...

Self-adjusting motorbase. (Product Highlight).
November 1, 2002... Belt tension must be properly maintained in order to transmit required torque to driven equipment. This is especially true with V-belt drives that have one or more belts. Failure to maintain optimum belt tension can lead to serious loss of...

More-productive crusher. (Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace).
November 1, 2002... The RTS-15 open circuit mobile track plant from Irock Crushers features a wide feed opening and large discharge area to enhance plant production and deliver capacities in excess of 200 tph. Irock's high energy, two-bar impactor operates at...

In-spec impactor. (Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace).
November 1, 2002... Eagle Crusher Co. says its UltraMax UM04 impactor provides gravel operations a low initial cost for efficient production of spec products. A solid-steel, three-bar rotor produces consistently sized, highly cubical product from a variety of feed...

Heavy-duty belt cleaner. (Product Highlight).
November 1, 2002... A new addition to its line of Eliminator belt cleaning systems, Flexco offers the M-type precleaner for underground mines and worst-case aboveground applications. The product features a more massive blade that firmly shaves off thick, heavy,...

Construction rebounds. (National affairs: key issues).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... At a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $509.4 billion, the value of new construction starts in August rebounded 7 percent from a lackluster July, according to McGraw-Hill Construction. Double-digit gains were reported for nonresidential...

That's my job. (Safety: key issues).(truck safety)
November 1, 2002... No scientific survey has been done. However, a particular kind of fatality pops up often enough to be labeled regular. Not frequent, but regular. It seems that drivers and others raise dump bodies on their trucks, and drivers and others place...

No job rights for impaired worker. (Law: key issues).
November 1, 2002... The Americans with Disabilities Act protects disabled persons from employment discrimination. It requires employers--if they are able to do so without undue hardship--to make reasonable accommodations so that a disabled person is not precluded...

MSHA publishes ANPRM for diesel rule.
November 1, 2002... MSHA has released an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for its health rule governing diesel particulate matter (DPM) exposure of underground metal and nonmetal miners. The ANPRM is the first step by MSHA to codify agreements...

Court affirms back pay award to former Gabel Stone loader operator. (Legal highlights: key issues).
November 1, 2002... A federal appeals court upheld an ALJ's and the commission's rulings in favor of a former Gabel Stone Co. loader operator who claimed he was discharged in retaliation for filing a Sec. 103(g) hazard complaint with MSHA. In its October 7...

MSHA reduces $50,000 penalty to $8,500 in fatal fall case. (Legal highlights: key issues).
November 1, 2002... A general contractor agreed to pay MSHA substantially reduced penalties totaling $8,500 for two violations in a case where a subcontractor's employee fell more than 50 ft. when he stepped on unsecured steel grating on an elevated deck. ...

MSHA selects manager for small mine compliance office. (Legal highlights: key issues).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced the selection of Kevin Burns as manager of the Office of Small Mine Compliance Assistance. Burns has spent the last four years as a mine safety and health specialist with MSHA. The...

Parts of MSHA's explosives and blasting regulation may be invalid. (Legal highlights: key issues).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... According to Mine Safety and Health News, parts of MSHA's regulation governing explosives and blasting for Metal/Nonmetal may be invalid due to the agency citing Department of Transportation regulations that no longer exist. MSHA's definition...

Rocky Mountain report. (Economics: key issues).
November 1, 2002... Like operators across many areas of the country, stone producers in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States expect challenging market conditions next year. Although states such as Colorado, Arizona and Utah have reported steady...