The proposed Eureka Road Mine contains approximately 91 acres of mineable sand and gravel resources. There is a total of 199 acres being permitted for the plant operations. If granted the special exception, Memphis Stone & Gravel Company would construct a sand and gravel wash plant on the property to produce specification concrete aggregate, specification granular base materials, clay gravel, and a variety of other sand and gravel products. The proposed haul route is to exit the site on the north side of the property onto Eureka Road. Trucks would then make the most expeditious route to Highway 6 by traveling north on Good Hope Road and/or Highway 51 by traveling west/north on Eureka Road.

ENVIRONMENT, SAFETY, AND COMMUNITY

Memphis Stone and Gravel Company must comply with comprehensive regulations pertaining to environmental protection and worker safety. The company is regulated by state and federal agencies, primarily the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), The US Department of the Army Corps of Engineers, state and federal Department of Transportation (DOT), and the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Based on national and local trends it takes approximately 10 tons of aggregate each year for new construction and to maintain our existing infrastructure. The growth in Panola County demands a good source of local aggregate. Memphis Stone & Gravel Company believes this deposit will be an asset to the local economy and will likely be lost to future residential development if not managed as a resource for construction material.

PROJECT DURATION

It is difficult to predict exactly the start date because of the uncertainties about future demand at our existing operation and the possibility of future reserves being added to existing operations. We expect the project to have a 15 to 20 year time line after the start date.

MINING PROCESS

Principle operations can be divided into 1) stripping, 2) mining, 3) processing, 4) sales and 5) reclamation. Stripping overburden is generally accomplished using scrapers, excavators and trucks, or dozers. A hydraulic excavator (appx. 5 cubic yard) will be used to mine the sand and gravel. One to two front-end loaders will be used to feed the raw product to a conveyor system, which will transport the material to a stationary wash plant using water to clean and separate the sand from the rock. The plant is located to the south of the project area on the Brasell property.

The resource can be divided into two categories: 1) processed material (i.e., washed product) and 2) clay gravel. The processed materials are separated into five basic products: 1) concrete sand, 2) masonry sand, 3) pea gravel, 4) size #57 gravel (¼ inch to ¾ inch), and 5) oversize (+2 inch). These materials are then marketed primarily for construction aggregate (e.g., ready mix concrete and asphalt concrete). The finished products are loaded onto trucks by front-end loaders at the wash plant site. Trucks are weighed and ticketed prior to them leaving the property. Approximately 5 to 10% of the resource is identified as “clay gravel” and will not be processed at the wash plant. Clay gravel is stripped and stockpiled near the pit prior to mining the wash product. Clay gravel will normally not be conveyed; instead it is trucked in an “unprocessed” state directly to the job site (after it is weighed at the plant). Clay gravel will be hauled along the same conveyor route (discussed above) to the plant site to be weighed.

Although reclamation is identified as the fifth step above, the bulk of the reclamation activity is done concurrently with stripping operations. As one pit is stripped the overburden is hauled to the previously stripped and mined pit. This is the most efficient process, as you do not want to “rehandle” overburden. Final grading follows and the site is stabilized with vegetation. Part of the mined out pits will be used as part of the processing system and actually filled in over time with sand and clay.

Mined material is a naturally wet product and very little dust is generated by the actual mining activity. Occasionally, the haul roads will dry out and contribute to dust. Memphis Stone & Gravel Company uses water trucks to spray water on haul roads when conditions warrant. Memphis Stone & Gravel Company uses a variety of operational practices to help control noise. In most instances, operational areas are isolated with soil berms built around the operations to help buffer noise and reduce our visibility to the public. Material stockpiles placed between operations and perimeters also reduce noise levels considerably. Memphis Stone & Gravel Company uses innovative MSHA approved backup alarms that eliminate “beep-beep” sounds from conventional alarms by using a broadband sound frequency which quickly dissipates as it moves away from the alarm.

UPDATES:

• On April 13, 2009 Memphis Stone and Gravel Company presented its application at the Panola County Land Development Commission's regular meeting in Sardis for a special exception to mine sand and gravel.  The Commission voted to postpone action on this application until the May 11, 2009 meeting of the Commission Batesville. 
• On May 11 the Panola County Land Development Commission voted 6-3 to deny Memphis Stone and Gravel Company a special exception.
• Memphis Stone and Gravel Company submitted documents necessary to appeal the Commission's recommendation to the Board of Supervisors and a hearing was scheduled for June 8.
• On June 8 the Board of Supervisors reschulded the hearing for July 27, 2009.
• On July 27 the Board of Supervisors split 2-2 on the matter, essentially rendering no decision in the case.  Consequently, Memphis Stone & Gravel Company has filed suit in Circuit Court in an attempt to resolve the appeal. 

DOWNLOADS:

Panola County Special Exception