Industrial Minerals Experience

Advanced Blasting and the City of Stebbins requested that AES visit their quarry, take samples from both the surface and from blast hole drilling, estimate the size of resource and make recommendations.  The primary rock underlying the Stebbins and the quarry site is layered basalt flows. The quarry itself lies within the bounds of a small Holocene volcanic ash cone. The core of the cone contains the remnants of a flow center with an irregular neck of dense, low gas-bubble basalts. 

Koniag, Inc. looked to develop a granitic pluton on the west side of Shakmanof Cove approximately 11 miles north-northwest of the town of Kodiak. Alaska Earth Sciences (AES) was contracted to provide geologic consulting services, acquire necessary permits, and conduct diamond core drilling to explore the subsurface of the quarry site. The initial assessment of three sites included aerial LiDAR survey and desktop analysis where surface geology and structures were interpreted.  AES drilled the initial core holes with their small Discovery One drill producing over 1800’ of BTW core.  Interpretive mine maps were prepared based on Lidar, surface mapping and drilling which identified best areas for production of large rock, intermediate rip rap and smaller fill. The maps also showed best areas for backfill of waste and known fault zones.  AES was involved with this project throughout its early exploration through its first quarry production and sale of products