The Previously Mined Site is Located in the Kaibab National Forest On 65 Acres; No Traffic Will Go Through City, and No Noise Will Bother Residents
After a public process and environmental review coordinated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Drake Cement will begin mining operations in early May to extract natural pozzolan at Frenchy Pit, located about nine miles northeast of the city of Williams. A standard open pit mine will be used to excavate about 65 acres in an area of Kaibab National Forest that was mined previously.
Drake plans to extract about 300,000 to 500,000 tons of concrete-grade, natural pozzolan from the parcel annually. Mining operations are expected to occur nine months out of the year. Stockpiled pozzolan from mining operations will be hauled to the Drake Cement plant in Paulden year-round as weather conditions allow. The operation has a 20-year life expectancy.
“Given the location of this mine, about nine miles outside the city and north of Interstate 40, this operation should have no impact at all on residents or the area itself when it comes to traffic or noise,” said David Chavez spokesman for Drake Cement. “This operation has been carefully planned to exclude any known archaeological and cultural sites, and to minimize any impact on the environment.”
Chavez estimates that up to a dozen, trucks will be used to haul material from the site five days a week using Forest and County Road 74 and Interstate 40 West. From there, the trucks will head south along State Route 89.
Pozzolan allows for the production of superior building materials, making construction safer, more cost-effective, and more environmentally friendly. Natural pozzolans have been used in numerous engineering accomplishments in the U.S., including the Glen Canyon Dam and Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Arizona and the Los Angeles Aqueduct and Golden Gate Bridge in California.
Pozzolan is a signature element in Drake’s “green cement” initiative, which removes more than 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year. In 2020, 2021, and 2022 Drake earned ENERGY STAR® certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The ENERGY STAR label represents proven, verified superior energy performance over 12 months. ENERGY STAR-certified plants perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide.
In addition to the Frenchy Pit operation, Drake continues to work with the Forest Service and a range of stakeholders on the potential exploration of a second parcel, another previously mined location about two miles south of Williams.
“We continue to be transparent when it comes to our work,” said Chavez. “Drake has always been serious about its commitment to the community and to creating jobs and more resources for residents. We see this as a win all around, employing people and helping the construction industry meanwhile making the air cleaner for all of us to breathe.”
