There are many plant-engineering options to consider, both when setting up an aggregates plant from scratch, and when evaluating
an existing plant in terms of its efficiency and profitability. Using quality components from the start often prevents problems
later.
Property location
The purchase or lease of a new piece of property is one of the key factors in whether a project is going to be successful.
A short list of some of the things that should be considered when searching for the property are:
- Are the minerals rights available?
- What type of mineral is on the property?
- Quality and quantity of mineral.
- Access to main roads, such as interstate highways, or railroad service.
- Taxes.
- Neighbors (who are they, how close are they, etc.)
- Local labor available.
- Union or non-union labor.
- Availability of water.
- Water table.
- Easements.
- Possible archeology site?
- Markets – How close is the property to populated areas?
PermitsOnce a piece of property has been located and it meets or exceeds expectations, it must be permitted for mineral processing.
Getting a permit may be the most difficult step in setting up a plant.
The type of plant that is to be built on the property will have a direct impact on the permits that are required. That is
to say, permits for a mobile crushing plant may be easier to obtain than permits for a stationary plant.
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During the permitting process, there are various environmental agencies at the local, state and federal levels that will be
involved in the process. There are various air, water and noise-quality standards that must be met. There are also many and
varied state and federal zoning requirements. There may also be local governing bodies that have laws governing plant operating
times and other restrictions, such as how high a face can be blasted (for a quarry) or how high a bank can be dug (for a gravel
pit). If there is a stream, river or lake, there will be issues with run-off water. These are only a few things to keep in
mind during the permitting process.
Market review
While searching for property, producers typically do a "market review" to see what the potential market is. Once the decision
has been made to pursue the property, a formal market review needs to be undertaken. The information collected during the
formal market review will be used in all aspects of the design of the new plant. Some of the pieces of information that need
to come from the market review are as follows:
- What products are desired (both dry and washed)?
- How much of each product can be sold (defined by time of year)?
- What are the local product specifications?
- Are all sales by customer truck, or should delivery services be offered?
- Can products be shipped by rail?
- Selling price for all products.
- Competition in the market area.
