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1. INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION <br /> 1.1 Site Description <br /> GCC's cement manufacturing facility and limestone quarry are located on approximately 160 <br /> acres approximately 8 miles south of Pueblo, Colorado. For mining years 1 -25, the quarry <br /> footprint is approximately 258 acres. <br /> The active mining area currently is limited to 15.5 acres under GCC's Air Permit(Modification 4). <br /> Upon approval of Air Permit Modification No. 5, GCC will expand the active mining area to 40 <br /> acres. <br /> The plant and quarry's physical"footprint" is within a larger overall area partially owned by GCC <br /> and partially leased by GCC from the Colorado State Land Board. The total area is approximately <br /> 10,200 acres. <br /> 1.2 Quarry Operations Description <br /> The limestone quarried at the facility is used to manufacture Portland cement at the plant. <br /> Limestone is the primary raw material used in the manufacture of portland cement making up <br /> around 85% of raw materials. <br /> Limestone quarrying is conducted in a below-grade open-pit. The initial step in the quarrying <br /> process involves the removal of overburden to expose the top of the limestone mineral resource. <br /> Overburden consists of topsoil and underlying unconsolidated materials. Depending on the area, <br /> the thickness of the overburden can range from 0—30 feet. Once the overburden is removed it is <br /> placed directly in either stockpile storage or in an area of the quarry in which mining has been <br /> completed. To minimize stockpiles of overburden, GCC performs mine reclamation <br /> contemporaneous with ongoing quarrying efforts. Once placed into either areas being reclaimed <br /> or in stockpile storage, the overburden will be stabilized and re-vegetated on an on-going basis as <br /> necessary. <br /> After removal of overburden, drill and blast techniques are used for breaking the bedded <br /> limestone in preparation for crushing. GCC uses an on-site drill rig for drilling blast holes into the <br /> limestone. The number and configuration of the drill holes is in a pattern determined by the <br /> desired tonnage and geology of the limestone to be broken. After drilling, the holes are loaded <br /> with a blasting agent consisting of a mixture of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (ANFO) and <br /> detonated. All blasting is performed by a licensed blasting contractor. Up to two to three blast <br /> events will be performed each month. <br /> After blasting, a loader is used to load the broken limestone into a mobile crusher. A mobile <br /> crusher is used to eliminate the need for hauling limestone long distances and the associated <br /> generation of fugitive dust. The limestone is crushed to a four-inch minus size. The crusher <br /> discharges the limestone onto a series of mobile belt conveyors and ultimately to a stationary belt <br /> 2 <br />