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Sand mining surges in Wisconsin July 31, 2011
Map of Wisconsin sites
This list was compiled in July 2011 by Center reporters Jason Smathers, Julie Strupp and Kate Golden. Caveats: It’s not exhaustive. The status of sites may change. And some sites may be listed with just a mine or a plant but actually have both; reporters listed only what they could verify with reliable sources, such as county or company officials. Know of an update? Email kgolden@wisconsinwatch.org.
Summary stats for the 41 sites listed:
- Active: 16
- In development: 11
- Proposed: 14
- Mines: 28
- Processing plants: 23
The nonprofit and nonpartisan Center (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Television, Wisconsin Public Radio and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication and other news media. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
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A quick Google search did not show any Hydraulic “Fracking” in the vicinity of Clintonville. But a further search revealed that there are 28 active mines pulling vast amounts of sand out of the ground to be used in the process of Fracking. (Info from: http://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2011/07/31/frac-sand-wisconsin-sites/).
Okay, I’m no geologist, but if you take that much material out of the ground, and don’t replace it with something else, doesn’t it make sense that the ground is going to shift to compensate for those newly created voids?
I lived in Los Angeles during the 1994 Northridge Earthquake (my house bounced on its foundation) and I can sympathize with anyone going through an earthquake. Is it smart to possibly induce long term and possibly permanent damage to our planet for short term financial gain? And very few people actually receive that financial gain (even less than the now famous 1%).
It’s time for EVERYBODY to get honestly informed about these drastic processes before we allow them to run roughshot over our communities, our planet, and our future generations.
I still don’t understand how the sand mine works. Are they getting sand for the gas company or are they getting gas where they are digging? I live in Augusta, Bridge Creek area. Do they buy the land and buildings from the farmers? or strickly land? I’ve heard rumors that they pay a lot of money. I would really like to understand the operation better. Any site I could get info from?
Rita, the sand is shipped by rail or truck from the mines to the well sites (all over the country)and is used to prop open cracks (fractures) in fracked oil & gas wells so the oil or gas can flow out & be extracted. Here is one page of pictures of how the sand is used: http://www.marcellus-shale.us/Marcellus_FRAC.htm and here is a video news clip explaining it: http://wagingnonviolence.org/2012/02/no-fracking-way-protesters-block-frac-sand-mining-operations/ and another explanation here: http://transloading.org/why-use-sand-with-fracking/
My wife and I were considering buying a house that is one mile east of the hi-crush processing plant in Augusta, should we worry about air quality?
Google Minneapolis Tribune, Sunday, March 11, 2012. Read story and view photos of Winona, MN including the car in the lot. It would seem that the level of sand “dust” on the car will be on everything, cars, plants, roofs, everything. What plants, animals, or people can thrive under those conditiona? These are agricultural regions, whether one is directly involved in agriculture or not the food chain is essential to life. What will happen to the food chain under these conditions? Google sand, Eau Claire, and note that UW -EC has a film this week March 15 or maybe 16, free, on sand mining. Let’s not be complacent. there are cleaner industries, cleaner technologies, and renewable and sustainable ways that recognize and respect the land, not rape it and then move on. The pressure goes in more than one direction, and the sudden release of the moratorium in Eau Claire County is chilling, given the fact that according to some articles that the federal goverment is reviewing why frac sand mining was not limited because of water and air quality problems.
All I have to ask about all these sand mines opening up, is why there is not any local work coming from these mines.
They post that they are going to need 100 trucks to haul this sand, so that would mean 100 driver. Where are they getting these people from.
I know now local guys here in the Mondovi area that would love to get a truck and haul 5-6 days a week. But all local mines are hush hush on work and leave me to believe that they are covering something up.
Hi Crush just had a large JOB FAIR in Augusta for there sand mine. And hundreds of locals showed up. Why don’t local sand mines offer the same to support the local towns.
This would not only help them and local families out, but would bring funds into local towns.
Small towns here in the local area could all use some help in one form or another.
I’m all for mining sand anywhere as long as we are not left out of the progress that this will bring to the area.
Thank you
Andrew Klevgard
You folks are impossible. I happen to be a blue collar guy who is involved in repairing mining equipment. How many of you have been to a mine or a quarry? How about a steel mill or a power plant? What is you degree of expertise on this issue? Your prius and ethanol plants are a hell of a lot worse for the earth that something like sand which is organic, last I heard.
I would like to know what gives you the right to interfere with my livelihood? Up to this point I have worked 637 hrs of overtime this year, most of it being on site. I was raised up north and graduated from Spooner. I suppose you’re the same folks opposed to the powerlines but complain when your power goes out.
As I said at the outset, you folks are impossible. You complain that all the good jobs are going overseas. Why do you suppose your kids leave, like I did? Because there’s no FUTURE where you are. You folks better have a whole lot of ammunition before you scare off one of the rare economic bright spots. I want to know what you hypocrites are going to say when a Canadian company owns the quarry, buys machines from china, and hires illegals to operate them. I say this because I know because I have seen it. Keep it up.
My grandfather passed away due to lung cancer. The cancer was silica-based, and he worked in gravel and sand mines during most of his young life. Enron Oil and Gas put a sand plant next to my father’s and grandmother’s house in Chippewa. Once we see how these plants work, and the side-effects of having the plants, I wouldn’t be surprised to see health problems in the immediate area.
Are we willing to assume the health issues for economic gain? Maybe it is an “economic bright spot”, but I would rather not have to deal with losing another family member due to something that is preventable. Once we realize what evils will come of these plants we’ll see property values plummet and more of a public uproar.
I respect your input, and you are entitled to your own opinion, but I dont agree with anything you said. I believe that your livelihood is your own issue and it isn’t something that should be brought up as if we are personally attacking you. The whole scope of the issue is bigger than you, it’s bigger than me, it’s more about the environmental consequences and health consequences.
What the, what the heck are you trying to say, and who are you trying to say it to? I suggest you stop swallowing the AM radio hate bait, and chill out a little.
Silica’s inorganic, actually — its chemical formula is SiO2, see? No carbon! Stop mixing metaphors.
Besides that, it’s good to wary when there’s a boom of this magnitude. We’ve got the resources — why not sit on them while we can figure out how much it’s worth and in what matter it’ll leave our state. If you’ve got strong zoning and other land use tools, you can enact the legal and financial tools needed to keep overused infrastructure from becoming a taxpayer burden.
Plus, do you think any of these companies are based out of Wisconsin? No, most of them are not. Do you think that money they bring in is staying here, apart from the wages? I’d guess again. Yes, jobs are good. But jobs that don’t come with a cost are better. That’s why you keep an eye on it.
Go slow my friend…..The natural gas and sand has been around a long time. Best check this stuff out real good before we jump in with both feet. If its safe, go ahead, but if we screw up, we will have a mess for a very long time. History is full of examples.
Do you know any more of the specifics of the Marshfield site (Wood County). I live just south of Marshfield and am concerned that they may be moving into our area. As a citizen, what can I do? Is there a meeting I can attend?
Hi Karen — Sorry, no. Check the link on the right side, or try the Marshfield News Herald directly.
Great information on the frac samd mines in Wisconsin.
Quick request, I can’t print off your spread sheet with the active and pending permitted mines. can yous send me a link which is printer friendly ?
Jack: the best thing to do is copy and paste the spreadsheet into a new file.
-Kate Golden, WCIJ multimedia