GIS II Lab 1: Frac Sand Mining in WI

Fracking: What is it?

Frac sand mining refers to the process of extracting quartz sand (also known as silica sand) for various uses including paving roads, glass manufacturing, and filtering drinking water.  In order to be of use, this quartz sand must be well-rounded, extremely hard, and uniform in size.  After finding a suitable mining site, excavation, blasting, crushing occur to retrieve the sand, which is then processed.  Following this, the sand must be transported and the mining site must undergo a reclamation process.  

Though fracking has existed for hundreds of years, more attention has surrounded the topic in recent years due to increasing use of quartz sand in the petroleum industry.  This has been particularly apparent in the states in which frac sand mining is occurring, including Wisconsin.  Accessible frac sand is primarily found in western and central Wisconsin (see Figure 1).  

Figure 1: map detailing frac sand mines and sandstone locations in WI

Impacts of Fracking

Although frac sand mining is beneficial for many industries, there are also concerns surrounding the practice and its effects upon the environment and its inhabitants.  Firstly, sand mining facilities negatively impact air quality due to emission of both dust and pollutants as a result of mining processes and equipment.  For example, the loading and unloading of sand poses a threat for dust emissions, while the electrical generators often used at mining operations are release pollutants into the air.  The Wisconsin DNR (WDNR) enforces a variety of regulations regarding air quality standards to ensure safety, however, the risk of reduced air quality is very real.  

Additionally, frac sand mining can have negative impacts upon water resources.  If a site is in close proximity to a river, stream, or wetland, groundwater may be encountered during the excavation process.  This groundwater is often used for washing, cleaning, and sorting materials as well as in facility buildings.  This use must be closely monitored, as the potential for affecting surrounding streams, trout waters, nearby private wells or other water resources exists.  

Furthermore, frac sand mining operations pose a problem for recreational activities such as hunting, trapping, fishing or hiking.  The noise, dust, traffic, lighting, forest loss, and reduced air quality often associated with fracking operations are undesirable to many people who wish to enjoy outdoor activities.    

Fracking in the News

As a result of improved technologies and new developments in directional boring, frac sand mining has become more affordable while previously inaccessible silica sand is now accessible.  Combined with the demand for silica sand for the petroleum industry (among other industries), the fracking industries have taken off in Wisconsin over the past years.  Increasing amounts of mining sites have brought jobs and money to many communities, some of which desperately needed the financial boost.  

However, as Pamela King writes in her Midwest Energy News article, some frac sand mining towns are worried that the fracking boom is peaking and may soon come to an end.  In July 2015, there were 58 inactive extraction sites in WI, with the number of active mining sites sitting barely above this total at 63.  While sand frac mines have caused plenty of controversy regarding topics such as air quality or noise, the mines have also revitalized and enriched communities.  Residents of Chippewa Falls noted that the money stemming from frac sand mining has made a number of new buildings possible in their downtown district, as well as provided employment for community members.  While the fate of fracking remains yet to be seen, King remarks that western Wisconsin's economic diversity could be advantageous in the possible move away from frac sand mining--there are plenty of other industries that contribute considerably to Wisconsin's economy.

GIS + Fracking

GIS technologies can be used to assess and analyze the situations surrounding frac sand mining in Wisconsin.   Frac sand mining requires transportation of materials both to and from processing facilities as well as to other destinations, all of which take a toll on roads.  As a part of this course, we will be using GIS to examine the effects of frac sand transportation upon road quality.  

Sources

King, Pamela. (2015). Wisconsin Towns Worry Frac Sand Boom Will Dry Up. Midwest Energy News. Retreived from http://midwestenergynews.com/2015/06/03/wisconsin-towns-worry-frac-sand-boom-will-dry-up/. 

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. (2015). Industrial Sand Mining. Retrieved from http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Mines/Sand.html.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. (2012). Silica Sand Mining in Wisconsin. Retrieved from http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Mines/documents/SilicaSandMiningFinal.pdf. 

Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. (2012). Frac Sand in Wisconsin Factsheet. Retrieved from http://wcwrpc.org/frac-sand-factsheet.pdf.