GIS II Lab 1: Sand Mining Suitability Project

Sand Mining in Western Wisconsin Overview

Wisconsin sands have been mined for over 100 years and used in glass manufacture, foundry molds, even golf course trap (Wisconsin Geological And Natural History Survey). Demand for Wisconsin sand has recently increased due to advances in petroleum extraction methods. Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking" for short, is a method where water, chemicals, and sand is pumped underground to fracture the rock and release oil or natural gas. This process demands durable, semi-rounded to sub-angular quartz grains to hold the fractures open. Fracking does not occur in Wisconsin as the state is not underlain by prime crude oil reserves. Wisconsin does however, have an abundance of poorly cemented, easily accessible, durable, semi-rounded to sub-angular quartz sand deposits.

Below, figure 1 displays the desired sandstone formations in yellow and frac sand mines and processing plants that were active or in development in 2011. 

Figure 1. Frac Sand in Wisconsin, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey

According to the Wisconsin DNR, there were 84 active industrial sand facilities in 2015.

Total Number of Industrial Sand Facilities (Mines, Processing & Rail Loading)	129
Number of Active Facilities	84
Number of Inactive Facilities	40
Number of Facilities Reclaimed/In Process of Final Reclamation	4

The Wisconsin Geological & Natural History Survey provides an excellent overview of what goes on at each of these sites - the process of frac sand mining.

Before a frac sand mine in Wisconsin can open, state law requires land owners register the deposit. This encourages the identification, preservation and planning for the potential development of marketable deposits so that the state can make wise land use and zoning decisions. The land must be zoned for mining and all of the necessary permits must be obtained (Registering Nonmetallic Mineral Deposits). This is regulated by local and county governments, which can be a very political process as residents near mines have concerns about impacts the impacts.

The CBS News clip below shows some of the concerns citizens in Arcadia, Wisconsin (Trempealeau County) at a county board meeting considering a new frac sand mine.

Concerns include:

• Blowing sand from stockpiles polluting air and water supply
• Overuse of water to wet stockpiles (in an effort to reduce air pollution) and to wash sand
• Noise pollution from the plant and sand transportation (truck and rail)
• Sound pollution from the plant and sand transportation (plant in operation 24/7 during weather-permitting months)
• Wear and tear on road and rail from sand transportation
• Disrupted aesthetic beauty of land
• Decline of the family farm
• Contribution to overuse of fossil fuels

Geographic Information Systems can be used to collect data and track changes in Western Wisconsin so that the implications of sand mining can be better understood and the process of mining can be as environmentally sustainable and community minded as possible. For example, GIS can map sand trucking routes and monitor wear and tear through time compared to other roads. Additionally, GIS network analysis can find the shortest trucking routes possible while avoiding as many residential areas as possible.

These are just a few of the many applications of GIS for frac sand mining. Throughout the semester as I learn new tools and gain skills in GIS, I will be applying them to solve real-world geographic problems in Western Wisconsin.

Sources

"Locations of Industrial Sand Mines and Processing Plants in Wisconsin."Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. <http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Mines/ISMMap.html>.

"Registering Nonmetallic Mineral Deposits." Registering Nonmetallic Mineral Deposits. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. <http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Mines/Deposit.html>.

"Wisconsin Debates Fracking as Sand Mining for Drilling Booms." YouTube. CBS Evening News, 18 Apr. 2014. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mVA5txpEY4>.

Wisconsin Geological And Natural History Survey. "Frac Sand in Wisconsin."Frac Sand in Wisconsin (Factsheet 05) (n.d.): n. pag. West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. <http://wcwrpc.org/frac-sand-factsheet.pdf>.