Lafarge started work on the Back Mountain Project during the first week of October. The intent of this three-year project is to extend the north wall of the Exshaw quarry to provide access to the limestone reserves the plant needs for the future.
With work commencing, community members can expect an increase in blasting during the day. No blasting will be conducted on Sundays. Updates will continue to be made on lafargeexshaw.ca. If you would like to receive email updates on blasting operations, please contact info.exshaw@lafargeholcim.com.
“Our first focus will be on building the access ramp for production. While it is going to mean more blasting, they will be smaller blasts in size. We don’t expect there to be any vibrations felt by the community and we will do all that we can to prevent as much dust as possible. If it’s windy and blowing towards Exshaw, we’ll hold off,” said Dylan Treadwell, Quarry Manager, Lafarge Exshaw Cement Plant.
To minimize disruption in the community and to differentiate from regular production blasts, the Back Mountain Project will utilize three blows from an air horn as a signal instead of a siren. The air horn will be quieter. The siren will still be used for regular production-related blasts.
The existing quarry has approximately seven years of limestone reserves remaining at current production rates. The long-discussed multi-phase, multi-year Back Mountain Project will help Lafarge Exshaw continue operations for the next 50 years.
All this work is within the Lafarge lease land and operating permits. Overall production rates from the quarry will stay the same. Lafarge will update the community on further logistics as they are known.