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<br />g@jl~ OVERVIEW Q~ ~(,$ CONCRETE <br /> <br />Castle Concrete Company is a major supplier of construction aggregate in <br />the E1 Paso County area and especially to Colorado Springs. The company came <br />into existence in the 1950's with the opening of the Queen's Canyon Quarry. <br />This quarry is located northwest of Colorado Springs and exhibits a passionate <br />history of public interest. The quarry has supplied much of the aggregate <br />which has built Colorado Springs since the quarry opening. <br />Actually, General William J. Palmer, an influential Colorado Springs <br />citizen in its early days, opened a quarry near the Queen's about the turn of <br />the century and it produced some rock. Other quarries, primarily mining <br />sandstone, were also opened in Colorado Springs at about the turn of the <br />century. The large quantities of sandstone and limestone in this area and the <br />relative lack of sand and gravel produced a high interest in these kinds of <br />rocks. So, quarrying is not new to the city. But, the Queen's was the first <br />large quarry and its high visibility on the mountain front has created <br />controversy. <br />Castle Concrete continued to enlarge the quarry, even though public <br />concern and criticism became severe. By about 1967 the operation had reached <br />dimensions large enough to implement some reclamation. Castle Concrete began <br />reclamation at this operation about 6 years before any law required reclamation <br />work be done on these types of mines. That law, the 1973 reclamation act, <br />actually did not include this type of operation, but Castle Concrete was <br />nevertheless one of the first companies to sign a reclamation agreement with <br />the Commissioner of Mines and post a bond to insure reclamation. This was done <br />in 1979. <br />In the late 1960's Castle Concrete opened the Snyder quarry, another <br />limestone quarry near Manitou Springs. Public concern resulted in a lengthy <br />and expensive court action. The court ruled in favor of Castle Concrete and <br />permitted the operation~to proceed with certain stipulations, all of which have <br />been diligently observed. <br />• 1 <br />