Cemex completes water recycling system at quarry

Cemex has announced that it has completed a new water recycling system at the Cemex Balcones quarry near New Braunfels, Texas. The state-of-the-art system will decrease the building materials company’s environmental impact and reliance on water from nearby sources by using 90% less water annually than previously used by the quarry’s wash plant.

The water recycling system is a key component to the Balcones quarry’s recently-updated and expanded wash plant, which cleans the aggregates used in concrete and asphalt. The new, fully-automated recycling system uses and recycles 12 000 gallons of water a minute to separate aggregates and sand fines, which are then reclaimed from the water stream as useable sand product. The new water recycling system decreases the need for additional local water and adds efficiency to wash plant operations.

“The new water recycling system at CEMEX’s Balcones quarry is the first-of-its-kind in our operations and was constructed to reduce reliance on local aquifers, which are extremely important water sources for the more than two million local residents and businesses,” said Scott Ducoff, CEMEX USA regional president for Texas and New Mexico. “We’re proud of the updates our team has made at the Balcones quarry, and expect a positive impact on our surrounding communities.”

“This project represents CEMEX’s continued commitment to integrating safety and sustainability practices into our operations and to minimise our environmental footprint in the communities in which we live, work, and operate,” said Ignacio Madridejos, CEMEX USA President. “Our team has driven day-to-day activities to ensure the safety and well-being of our employees while also applying industry-leading environmental management practices in our Balcones operations, and we’re extremely proud of their diligence.”

Adapted from press release by Rebecca Bowden

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/28092016/cemex-quarry-aggregates-water-recycling-sustainability-concrete-asphalt/