Construction Materials Firm Partners With CDE to Maximize Material Recovery

Ontario-based sand and aggregate producer James Dick Construction has finalized a major new investment in an ultra fines recovery system, designed and engineered by wet processing industry experts CDE, as the company solidifies its position as one of the leading suppliers of construction materials in the local market.

The James Dick group of companies has grown from its humble beginnings in 1964 to its current position as a leader in the supply of sand, gravel and limestone products in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

In 1983, the group acquired Caledon Sand & Gravel Inc. and with it the 825-acre Caledon Pit, then one of the largest pits in the country. It was in 1997 that James Dick Construction secured a licence to expand its Caledon Pit, which would ensure reserves of quality construction materials for the local market for decades to come.

Its focus has long been driven by a desire to ensure a consistent supply of materials with the least social and environmental impact by locating itself close to where demand is to minimize haulage emissions which delivers both environmental and commercial advantages.

Continuing this trend, the recent commissioning of a 50 tph (tons per hour) ultra fines recovery system with cyclone technology in Caledon, Ontario is maximizing material recovery from its quarrying business, extending the operational life of its active extraction sites and available reserves.

At Caledon, the business currently maintains a range of wet and dry screening equipment, including traditional sand screw technology, an essential innovation in the quarrying industry over the years but one that lacks the accuracy of modern washing equipment.

The benefits of cyclone technology vastly outweigh the capabilities of sand screws, achieving greater materials output and minimizing the loss of high-quality fines. CDE cyclone technology delivers unrivaled control of silt cut points and product specification to produce high value, inspec construction materials straight from the belt, according to the company.

Sustained demand for sand and aggregate products coupled with increasingly stringent regulatory requirements necessitates that producers maximize their reserves to maintain profitability and meet the demands of the market.

The new CDE plant is processing material previously lost to the overflow of two existing sand screws to recover premium fine washed masonry sand at a rate of 45 tph.

Commenting on the project, CDE business development manager of Canada, Adrian Convery, said, “Fully operational, our highly efficient ultra fines recovery system will make a significant contribution to Caledon Sand & Gravel.