Question 1

WHAT IS AGGREGATE?

Accepted Answer

The short answer is stone, sand, and gravel. But that is just scratching the surface. It is the grains of sand that make up our roads and sidewalks. It is in the bricks and concrete blocks that make up the walls of our homes, schools, and workplaces. Aggregate also plays a lesser known yet vital role in our water purification process and can even be found in pharmaceuticals, toothpaste, make-up, paint and paper among other products we use on a daily basis.

Question 2

HOW MUCH AGGREGATE DO WE USE EACH YEAR?

Accepted Answer

The average American uses ten tons of aggregate per year; 400 tons of aggregate on average is used for the construction of a new home and there are approximately 38,000 tons of aggregate in a mile of interstate.

Question 3

WHERE IS AGGREGATE USED?

Accepted Answer

We use sand, stone and gravel to build things like roads, houses, schools, hospitals, playgrounds, baseball diamonds, subway tunnels, and bridge abutments, but beyond these obvious uses is a whole host of lesser known uses for aggregate. For example, did you know that glass, make-up, paint, toothpaste, household cleaners, pharmaceuticals, baby powder and even chewing gum are also made with some form of aggregate?

Question 4

HOW DO WE CHOOSE WHERE TO PUT A QUARRY?

Accepted Answer

Because aggregates are a non-renewable resource, our industry continually struggles to find conveniently located sites that 1) have an abundant supply of aggregate, 2) are conveniently located to the location they will be used in, and 3) are unconstrained by the myriad of competing land uses that could render the deposit unusable. Our industry sometimes faces opposition when a pit or quarry permit is applied for. Everyone needs aggregate, but who wants a quarry or pit next door to them when they could have a park or even a new shopping center instead? The reality is that most opposition comes before a pit or quarry is licensed. Once operations begin, neighbors quickly realize that living next to a pit or quarry is quite pleasant.

Question 5

WHAT HAPPENS TO A QUARRY ONCE THE AGGREGATES ARE EXTRACTED?

Accepted Answer

The fate of a pit or quarry is often known even before it is ever developed. In fact, a mandatory part of applying for a license to begin extraction is to have a proposed rehabilitation plan in place. There is, however, a public planning process that must be satisfied prior to a new land use being established "post pit". Just because a pit approval is sought it does not mean that the "after use" development is automatically approved.

Regardless of what the end use will be for a pit or quarry, the rehabilitation process will still begin the moment topsoil is removed to uncover the aggregate deposits below. The topsoil is removed and preserved along with all its seed sources, returning to the pit or quarry when mining is completed. In this way, our industry can ensure the sites are returned to their natural state or are improved upon by turning them into lakes, golf courses or even college campuses.

Question 6

IS AN AGGREGATE QUARRY ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE?

Accepted Answer

The aggregate industry is regulated by legislation that protect the environment and future resources. Pits and quarries are what we call temporary land uses, which means that once they are no longer being used to extract aggregate (and even while they are still being used) the producers either return them to their original land use or, in many cases, improve upon it. 
Aggregate extraction is actually a very clean and largely mechanical process. The only processing that aggregate requires is crushing, screening, blending and sometimes washing (with water). No chemicals are used in the processing of aggregates.

CAMIÓN LISTO

Essential Tools and Information for Concrete and Aggregate Projects

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AGGREGATE FAQ

WHAT IS AGGREGATE?

HOW MUCH AGGREGATE DO WE USE EACH YEAR?

WHERE IS AGGREGATE USED?

HOW DO WE CHOOSE WHERE TO PUT A QUARRY?

WHAT HAPPENS TO A QUARRY ONCE THE AGGREGATES ARE EXTRACTED?

IS AN AGGREGATE QUARRY ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE?

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