Ione Quarry Expansion

The Ione Quarry mines and processes meta-andesite rock that is used at the adjacent, and separately permitted processing plant, to produce roofing granules. These roofing granules are distributed to roofing manufacturers across the western United States who use the granules to produce asphalt shingles commonly found on many residential and commercial buildings. Cap rock, weathered meta-andesite that does not meet specifications for granules, is utilized in the regional aggregates market supporting infrastructure improvements such as road and bridge construction and residential and commercial development.

In addition to the products it supplies that are integral to the building materials industry, the Ione Site also provides direct employment for 75 employees. Almost eighty percent of its employees live within 30 miles of the site and make average annual wage approximately three times higher than the Amador County average. The Ione Site helps support approximately 375 indirect jobs and contributes to Amador County almost half a million dollars in property and sales taxes, annually.

Expansion of the Ione Quarry will allow SGI to continue to support its granules and aggregate business an additional 100 years into the future.  This expansion will allow SGI to continue its investment in the existing facilities, its employees, and Amador County.

SGI proposes to expand the existing footprint and depth of Ione Quarry to access additional rock reserves. This expansion requires an amended Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and Reclamation Plan that allows for the expanded proposed mining area and additional stockpiling area(s) for cap rock. The quarry’s total surface disturbance will expand from approximately 56 acres to 136 acres and the depth will increase by approximately 600 feet. The stockpile area’s total surface disturbance will expand from approximately 34 acres to 86 acres and increase in elevation by approximately 34 feet. No changes in the current rates of production or other operations are proposed. The expanded reserves could provide for an estimated additional 100 years of operation at current annual production rates.

No, proposed operations, including hours of operation, mining and processing methods, equipment usage, and other operational aspects will not change. This Application only requests approval to expand the existing quarry’s limits of surface disturbance and depth and increase the size of the existing cap rock and overburden soil stockpile.

Yes, SGI retained local environmental and technical experts to design the Ione Quarry expansion and analyze potential environmental impacts. The SGI Ione Quarry Expansion Application Package (Application) submitted to Amador County included twelve technical studies that analyzed the following:

• Aesthetics and visual resources
• Agriculture and forestry
• Biological resources
• Aquatic resources
• Cultural resources
• Drainage
• Geology and soils
• Slope stability
• Hydrology and water quality
• Land use compatibility
• Noise
• Reclamation and revegetation

Based on the results of these technical studies, SGI developed a plan for expansion that limits impacts to on-site resources and the surrounding community.

The Application was submitted to Amador county on Feb. 5 2021. At this time, Amador County is reviewing the Application to confirm it contains the information required by the County and County Code and determine the Application complete. When the County determines the Application complete, the County will begin the environmental review process as required by the California Environmental Quality Act.