Concerns About Siting an Aggregate Quarry in a Dolomite Reef Deposit, Central Indiana
Carbonates are the most desirable concrete aggregates in sedimentary terrains for many midwestern states, including Indiana. In northern Indiana thick glacial deposits cover the bedrock subcrop. Silurian age dolomite, comprising pinnacle reefs existing at higher elevations, are present in several counties north of Indianapolis along the strike of the bedrock. The Delphi Quarry, 20 miles north of Lafayette is located in a prominent dolomite reef. The quarry, nearly a century old, has provided much of the aggregate used in concrete and bituminous construction in a several county area. Recently it has supplied concrete for reconstruction of State Road 25 and foundations for wind turbines in the area. The Delphi quarry is located in a 400 foot thick reef of Silurian age and the aggregate produced there has one of the highest quality ratings in the state. A new quarry has been proposed, located five miles south of the existing quarry, in similar but perhaps not the same rock unit. Intense opposition to the new quarry has developed by nearby neighbors who have raised the following issues of concern: truck traffic, blasting, dust generation, disruption of groundwater supply, subsurface contamination, drainage and disposal of excavated materials. Another concern involves the quality of the rock at the proposed site. It may not be located on a pinnacle reef but adjacent to one, and a high purity dolomite will not be found and a thick black shale cover will have to be disposed of. Quarry development on agriculture-zoned land requires an exception and the issue has been brought before the local county zoning board. They have ruled against the rezoning for the quarry and an appeal is pending on their decision
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Supplemental Notes:
- Copyright © 2016 Highway Geology Symposium (HGS). Abstract reprinted with permission of the HGS.
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Corporate Authors:
Highway Geology Symposium
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Authors:
- West, Terry
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Conference:
- 67th Highway Geology Symposium
- Location: Colorado Springs Colorado, United States
- Date: 2016-7-11 to 2016-7-14
- Publication Date: 2016
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; Photos;
- Pagination: pp 174-183
- Monograph Title: Proceedings of the 67th Highway Geology Symposium (HGS 2016)
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Dolomite; Quarries; Quarrying; Traffic congestion; Truck traffic
- Uncontrolled Terms: Siting
- Geographic Terms: Indiana
- Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01627830
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Feb 28 2017 9:04AM