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P&Q University Lesson 13: Safety & the Environment
Building an Environmental Management System (EMS) might sound like an overwhelming task for a smaller organization, but it doesn’t have to be. Taken in steps it’s a job that small- and medium-sized organizations can tackle. Let’s take you through the task’s basic steps: ■ Plan: Identifying environmental aspects and establishing goals■ Do: Training and operational controls■ Check: Monitoring and corrective action■ Act: Progress reviews and making needed changes to the EMS Photo by Kevin Yanik PLAN Time and resources are limited in any organization, and it’s important to use resources wisely. The information below illustrates 10 steps in the EMS planning process. Taking the time to figure out what needs to be done, how to do it, and who must be involved will pay big dividends down the road. Step 1. Define organization’s goals for EMS. The first step in EMS planning is to decide why you are pursuing development of an EMS. Are you trying to improve your environmental performance? For example, are you trying to comply with regulations… Keep Reading
P&Q University Lesson 12- Maintenance & Optimization
Equipment maintenance is an important consideration at any aggregate operation. Properly maintaining equipment prevents costly downtime, and new technologies allow for better equipment optimization to further reduce costs and increase production. One example is the maintenance and optimization of screens and other vibrating equipment. When vibrating screens and feeders aren’t performing well, the first thing aggregate producers may check is the stroke – the measure of the total vibrating motion of the vibratory machine. Is the stroke magnitude correct? However, in addition to the magnitude, other factors should be examined, such as the stroke angle, direction of rotation, and stroke consistency. The stroke can be in the form of a circular pattern, an elliptical pattern, or it can be linear. The stroke pattern will be based on the type of vibratory machine. On most machines, it will be circular or elliptical. If the vibratory machine has two motors (or a dual drive), or is a two mass type of drive, it will be linear, or nearly linear. For a circular… Keep Reading
P&Q University Lesson 11: Loadout, Weighing & On-Road Hauling
Loadout within any pit or quarry operation is an important stage that needs to be well designed and considered. There is an opportunity to save time and increase profits by understanding the specific needs of a the truck (vehicle) scale and stockpile areas and how the interface between these operations directly affects productivity and profit. Photo by Kevin Yanik From the time the pit or quarry gates open in the morning to the end of the working day, handling stock is a dynamic and important process that involves many movements of plant and equipment and many interactions between workers and other staff. Every time plant or equipment touches the sand, gravel or crushed stone product, it increases costs in wages, tire wear, fuel, machine hours, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize interaction with finished products by automating processes where possible and, when manual processes are required, understanding them fully to maximize production output and operational reliability. This section explores the key issues for stockpile management and load out and… Keep Reading
P&Q University Lesson 10: Conveying & Material Handling
Today’s fully automated material-handling systems are cost-efficient and on-target when building stockpiles in any desired volume or configuration – when loading bins, silos and surge tunnels; when transferring material overland; or when streamlining loading, unloading and stockpiling at barge, railcar and marine distribution centers. Customized conveying and unloading equipment is designed to minimize truck and loader use and lower costs per ton, while ensuring product quality and meeting an operation’s exact parameters. Photo by Kevin Yanik While haul trucks and wheel loaders had long been the standard for material handling and transport, rising fuel, maintenance and labor expenditures began adding significantly to costs per ton. Studies indicate that lifetime (8,000 to 12,000 hours) loader owning and operating costs are no less than 2.25 times higher than the unit’s initial purchase price – and that figure does not include labor and fuel costs. Using a loader is a very expensive way to stockpile, as loader component and tire wear accelerates when the machine is operated on an incline. It is best… Keep Reading
Bucyrus-Erie 500-H coal loader in action
https://youtu.be/de6QQeXX5l8 The Bucyrus-Erie 500-H coal loader was introduced by the company in 1975. Weighing 115 tons, the loader had a bucket with a 5 3/4-cu.-yd. capacity. This video was was compiled, narrated and produced by Keith Haddock for the Historical Construction Equipment Association. Keep Reading
New construction starts fall in August
New construction starts fell 11 percent in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $554.5 billion, reports Dodge Data & Analytics, lowering the Dodge Momentum Index to 117. Each of construction’s sectors experienced declines. Nonresidential building in August dropped 16 percent to $160.7 billion. In this sector, the commercial building categories as a group fell 24 percent, hotel construction dropped 35 percent and office construction declined 34 percent. Despite this, stores and warehouses registered slight gains, rising 3 percent and 2 percent, respectively. The institutional building group in August fell 11 percent, with healthcare facility construction declining 28 percent, transportation terminals down 39 percent, and amusement and recreational buildings falling 43 percent. However, the educational facilities category rose 17 percent due to the start of a $705 million National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kan. Residential building fell 8 percent to $165.5 in August. During the month, multifamily housing retreated 23 percent and single-family housing rose 1 percent. Nonbuilding construction in August fell 12 percent to $128.3 billion,… Keep Reading
Cat 320C feeds a 1200 impactor at Sergeant Stone
Check out this Caterpillar excavator feeding limestone to the new 1200 closed-circuit impact crusher at Sergeant Stone, an aggregate-producing company in Corning, Ohio. Keep Reading
2017 Pit & Quarry Roundtable & Conference
Each year, the Pit & Quarry Roundtable brings top aggregates producers, equipment manufacturers, dealers and other industry pros together for two days of productive networking, roundtable-style discussions, golf and more. The Roundtable will move to sunny Arizona for 2017, at the DoubleTree Resort in Paradise Valley/Scottsdale on January 16th-18th — and a limited number of sponsorship opportunities (below) are now available. Sponsor the Roundtable: Sponsor Gold Package Two (2) event registrations, which Include: Club Rental 18 Holes of Golf Breakfast Lunch Cocktail Reception Appear on the cover of the Pit & Quarry Roundtable issue, plus comments in the publication Sponsorship of one (1) golf hole, plus tee box signage Sponsorship of attendee “Welcome Bags,” which include: Additional literature/promotional items (provided by sponsor) Logo on event signage Logo on full page sponsor “Thank You” ad in Pit & Quarry Logo on any/all marketing collateral promoting the Roundtable Logo on breakfast napkins Logo on cocktail reception napkins Logo on agenda Logo on question list Logo on attendee list handout (pdf file) Logo… Keep Reading
Pit & Quarry visits the LafargeHolcim Marblehead Quarry
https://youtu.be/oJNiNoXEV_8 Pit & Quarry visited the LafargeHolcim Marblehead Quarry in Marblehead, Ohio, Sept. 10. Watch to see the operation in action and learn about a unique characteristic of the quarry. Keep Reading
