The Need
Click here to read the letter from the California Department of Transportation highlighting the critical need to increase aggregate reserves.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place - Aggregate Shortage Issues
California Construction and Industrial Materials Association Presentation by Steve Bledsoe, President
Read the full presentation here.
1. Construction Aggregate Supply Limitations: Estimates of Economic Impact - (February 2007) CalTrans
Read the full report here.
2. Aggregate Supply and Demand Summary by Dr. John Parrish, CA State Geologist - (March 2007)
Read the full summary here or download the full presentation from the California Geological Survey here (56 MB file size). You can also visit the Geological Survey website here.
3. Market Study Finds Local Quarry Can Cut Aggregate Costs in Half (November 2007)
Summary Report
Full Report (84 MB)
4. The State Mining and Geology Board classified the site for Granite Construction Co.'s proposed Liberty Quarry as land with recognized mineral deposits that should be considered in land-use planning.
Report- State Mining & Geology Board Decision (June 2007)
"The action identifies this area as a high-potential mining area with aggregate," Assistant City Manager Bob Johnson said. "The land went from having no classification to having a classification. When (Granite) goes through the permitting process with the county ... this information will be used as further justification as to why there should be a quarry there." Californian June 2007
From the State of California Department of Conservation News Room . . .
Also see the Aggregate Availability Map and Report for California below (click here)
NR 2007-06 Contact: Ed Wilson
February 7, 2007 Mark Oldfield
Don Drysdale
(916) 323-1886
NEW MAP AND REPORT SHOWS THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND
OF PERMITTED AGGREGATE RESOURCES IN THE STATE
Some Areas Face Shortfall of Locally Available Construction Material
The report and map are available here.
SACRAMENTO – The Department of Conservation’s California Geological Survey has released a new report and map that discusses aggregate supply and demand. It is designed as a tool to help local governments with land-use planning, especially as in regards to future infrastructure needs.
“The intent of this map is to give decision-makers a picture of where they stand with respect to a key resource,” DOC Director Bridgett Luther said. “Land use is a local decision. However, our economy and way of life depend to no small extent on our infrastructure, which relies upon aggregate and concrete. Local government should consider the issue of access to aggregate resources when planning for growth and development.”
The report – an update of a 2002 release -- compares the anticipated 50-year demand for construction grade aggregate resources to the amount of resources currently permitted for mining by local lead agencies in 31 study areas throughout the state.
The map shows four areas with less than a decade’s worth of permitted resources:
¨ Sacramento County (67 million tons permitted, 733 million tons of projected demand).
¨ Fresno County (71 million tons permitted, 629 million tons of projected demand).
¨ North San Francisco Bay (49 million tons permitted, 647 million tons of projected demand).
¨ North Tulare County (12 million tons permitted, 117 million tons of projected demand).
All told, 10 study areas have permitted resources covering less than a quarter of their projected needs.
Only six regions have permitted reserves covering 50 percent or more of their future needs. The Yuba City-Marysville region is the only area projected to meet 100 percent of its 50-year demand.
Other regions with a seemingly adequate permitted supply of aggregate in the near future include: Barstow-Victorville, Eastern Merced County, Monterey Bay and Palm Springs.
The regions with the highest projected future need for aggregate are South San Francisco Bay, San Gabriel Valley, Temescal Valley-Orange County, Western San Diego County and San Bernardino. Each of these regions is expected to utilize more than a billion tons of aggregate by 2056.
“Aggregate is a critical component of many types of construction projects,” State Geologist John Parrish said. “While there’s a significant amount of the resource in the ground in most areas, local jurisdictions have not permitted miners to extract it, for various reasons. Ultimately, aggregate shortages can lead to higher construction costs.”
Construction-grade aggregate, as defined in the report, is sand and gravel or crushed stone that meets specifications for use in “portland cement concrete aggregate” or “asphaltic aggregate.” It is used in the construction of houses, commercial and public buildings, highways, roads, bridges and other structures. Having a local supply of permitted aggregate is important because the cost – which currently ranges from about $7-$22 per ton at the plant site for the highest grade – can significantly increase as haul distances become greater.
Construction sand and gravel is the leading non-fuel mineral commodity produced in the state as well as the nation. Californians consumed 235 million tons of construction-grade aggregate in 2005 – about 6½ tons per person. On average, 229 tons of aggregate are used in the construction of one house.
“Currently, California has about 4.3 billion tons of permitted resources,” Parrish said. “In the next 50 years, the state is projected to need approximately 13.5 billion tons of construction grade aggregate. This figure does not account for accelerated construction programs as a result of major bond initiatives, or from reconstruction following a major, damaging earthquake.”
In addition to studying and mapping mineral resources, the Department of Conservation ensures the reclamation of land used for mining; promotes beverage container recycling; regulates oil, gas and geothermal wells; studies and maps earthquakes and other geologic phenomena; and administers agricultural and open-space land conservation programs.
###
Aggregate Availability in California - Map Sheet 52, Updated 2006
This map and accompanying text provides general information about the current availability of California's permitted aggregate resources. The map compares projected aggregate demand for the next 50 years with currently permitted aggregate resources in 31 regions of the state. The map also highlights regions where there are less than 10 years of permitted aggregate supply remaining.
Download Map (4.2 MB PDF Document)
Download Report (PDF Document)
Home | Studies and Reports | Presentations | Press Releases | Endorsements | Support Liberty Quarry | Tour | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 2006-07 Granite Construction, Inc. All rights reserved.
Use of this website signifies your agreement to the Terms and Conditions of Use.
