THE SAND-MINING BOOM IN WESTERN WISCONSIN—AN OVERVIEW

The sand mining industry has been booming in western Wisconsin to meet increasing demands for frac sand. Since 2008, the number of Wisconsin industrial sand mining facilities has increased from fewer than ten to 63 (WDNR, 5/1/14), and the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (8/19/12) suggests that ~2800 people are directly employed in the sand industry at this point. Even with the recent decrease in petroleum prices, sand exploration and development activities continue. Companies are seeking quartz-rich sand (commonly >95%) with high percentages of the strong, well-rounded 20/40- and 40/70-mesh sand grains prized in the oil and gas industry.

The rapid growth of the sand industry has been met with concerns about environmental impacts and quality-of-life issues. The most noticeable impact of mining has been a dramatic increase in truck traffic on some roads, although some facilities are located directly on rail lines. Stormwater management following high-magnitude precipitation events has been problematic at some facilities.

Several other environmental concerns have been voiced. Sand processing requires much water, so ground-water extraction has been controversial. Companies have used flocculants to reduce water demands, but flocculant use has been controversial as well. Reclamation of mined areas, impacts on wetlands, and generation of respirable dust also have been mentioned frequently in the news. Some citizens have questioned the ability of the Wisconsin DNR to manage this rapidly growing industry.

This session is intended to provide an overview of many aspects of the sand industry in the upper Midwest. Sandstone geology, exploration methods, and methods to prove economic sand reserves will be addressed. In addition, new data from studies is becoming available about the sand industry. Air and water issues will be discussed from academic, regulatory, and industrial standpoints. Several presentations will share best practices in sand-mine reclamation. It is hoped that the evidence-based papers presented during this session will stimulate meaningful dialogues between academic, regulatory, and industry groups, and also help minimize environmental impacts of the growing sand-mining industry in the upper Midwest.