October 20, 2022
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The Shavano Women’s Organization toured the Beckmann Quarry on October 20th. Our event began with a self-paid lunch at Scuzzi's. We moved on to City Hall to meet the bus sent by Martin Marietta and head over to the quarry.
It was interesting to hear about the mining process, see how the rock was excavated, and witness the blasting operation. Jasen Talley, the Beckmann Quarry Plant Manager, explained the quarry provides a significant economic impact to the local area. The quarry provides, not only employment, but also locally sourced aggregates to the community, lowering the cost of construction due to reduced transportation cost.
Leslie Mackay, Senior Environmental Engineer, gave an overview of the extensive safety plans in place to ensure the quarry workers and the surrounding community are safe and all materials handled at the quarry are done so responsibly. She told us Martin Marietta, not only strives to be a responsible operator, but also a proud community partner. The Beckmann Quarry supports many organizations in our area including Blattman Elementary School, San Antonio Food Bank, Ronald McDonald House, Meals on Wheels, and United Way. Leslie told us, the Beckman Quarry has a rich history of re-purposing the land once the quarry is fully mined. The Shops at La Cantera, The Rim Shopping Center and Six Flags Fiesta Texas were all once part of the Beckman Quarry.
Oversight and monitoring of blasting operations is managed by an independent third-party company, Vibra-Tech. Nick Reittinger, Vibra-Tech Area Manager, provided the group with a high-level overview of the science behind the blasting operations. He told us humans can detect sound waves as low as 20 decibels (a whisper) and vibration as low as 0.10 inches/sec (equivalent to a shoe dropping). Nick also discussed the surrounding vibration monitors that are placed in the community to monitor and record each blast to ensure the Beckmann Quarry stays well below the limits that have been set by the Bureau of Mines. Thereby ensuring blasts are not destructive to nearby homes (foundations, windows, and sheetrock).
The Shavano Park Women extends our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Jasen Talley, Leslie Mackay, and Nick Reittinger for an interesting and educational tour of the Beckmann Quarry.
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