7
of sand, and if necessary, to prepare a new evaluation of the
potential availability of the proppant at the site.
There were two main issues with the existing report:
1) The method to determine the “percent recovery” was
derived from a study of proppant-sand-sized material
underlying only the Montgomery/Lissie Formation portion
of the site, and was then applied to the entire site including
the Deweyville Formation. 2) The method made no dis-
tinction of whether or not the sand was mineable. Much
of the sand was widely disseminated through layers of clay.
A review of MSHA data showed that no sand of any type
was being mined from the Montgomery/Lissie Formation
all the sand being mined in the area was from operations in
the Deweyville Formation.
To better understand the geology at the site, a desktop
study of the regional and local geologic system was devel-
oped based on small scale geologic maps. The desktop study
was followed by a drilling and sampling program, core log-
ging, laboratory analyses, and data evaluation. Based on
the information from the literature, a conceptual geologic
model was created (fig 3b).
• The property is underlain with a stack of two major
geologic formations the Williana/Willis and the
Montgomery/Lissie.
• The Williana/Willis is buried everywhere on the
property. The upper part of the Williana/Willis is
consistently described in the literature as silty clay,
which has no prospect for use as proppant. Therefore,
for this study, the buried contact of the Williana/
Willis with the Montgomery/Lissie Formation is
considered to be the level below which no mining of
sand would take place.
• The Montgomery/Lissie consists of a fining upward
sequence of sediments granular, fine to coarse sand
with few pebbles in the lower portion and very fine
sand, silt, and clay in the upper portion.
• In the lowland valley traversing the property,
the Deweyville Formation lies on top of the
Montgomery/Lissie and Williana/Willis Formations.
The Deweyville Formation is primarily sand and was
identified as a likely source of proppant.
Thirty sonic drill holes were used to collect continu-
ous samples on the property 8 in the Montgomery/
Lissie Formation and 12 in the Deweyville Formation.
Drill holes commonly penetrated completely through the
Montgomery/Lissie Formation and (or) the Deweyville
Formation and extended at least ten feet into the Williana/
Willis Formation. The samples supported all the assump-
tions in the conceptual geologic model.
Figure 3b. Generalized cross section showing potential proppant at site in 10-foot intervals relative to elevation when
considering geology
of sand, and if necessary, to prepare a new evaluation of the
potential availability of the proppant at the site.
There were two main issues with the existing report:
1) The method to determine the “percent recovery” was
derived from a study of proppant-sand-sized material
underlying only the Montgomery/Lissie Formation portion
of the site, and was then applied to the entire site including
the Deweyville Formation. 2) The method made no dis-
tinction of whether or not the sand was mineable. Much
of the sand was widely disseminated through layers of clay.
A review of MSHA data showed that no sand of any type
was being mined from the Montgomery/Lissie Formation
all the sand being mined in the area was from operations in
the Deweyville Formation.
To better understand the geology at the site, a desktop
study of the regional and local geologic system was devel-
oped based on small scale geologic maps. The desktop study
was followed by a drilling and sampling program, core log-
ging, laboratory analyses, and data evaluation. Based on
the information from the literature, a conceptual geologic
model was created (fig 3b).
• The property is underlain with a stack of two major
geologic formations the Williana/Willis and the
Montgomery/Lissie.
• The Williana/Willis is buried everywhere on the
property. The upper part of the Williana/Willis is
consistently described in the literature as silty clay,
which has no prospect for use as proppant. Therefore,
for this study, the buried contact of the Williana/
Willis with the Montgomery/Lissie Formation is
considered to be the level below which no mining of
sand would take place.
• The Montgomery/Lissie consists of a fining upward
sequence of sediments granular, fine to coarse sand
with few pebbles in the lower portion and very fine
sand, silt, and clay in the upper portion.
• In the lowland valley traversing the property,
the Deweyville Formation lies on top of the
Montgomery/Lissie and Williana/Willis Formations.
The Deweyville Formation is primarily sand and was
identified as a likely source of proppant.
Thirty sonic drill holes were used to collect continu-
ous samples on the property 8 in the Montgomery/
Lissie Formation and 12 in the Deweyville Formation.
Drill holes commonly penetrated completely through the
Montgomery/Lissie Formation and (or) the Deweyville
Formation and extended at least ten feet into the Williana/
Willis Formation. The samples supported all the assump-
tions in the conceptual geologic model.
Figure 3b. Generalized cross section showing potential proppant at site in 10-foot intervals relative to elevation when
considering geology