Our surface mines in Columbia use natural gas, fuel oil and electricity to produce whole grain, ground and fine ground silica. The reserves are part of the Tuscaloosa Formation in central South Carolina. Since acquiring the facility, we have renovated and upgraded its production capabilities, including various processing methods, including hydraulic sizing, fluid bed drying, scalping and grinding. The Columbia facility services multiple end markets, such as glass, building products, fillers and extenders, filtration and oil and gas proppants.
We acquired the Columbia facility in 1987 by merger with the Pennsylvania Glass Sand Corporation, which had historically used the property to produce whole grain silica for customers in industrial and specialty products end markets.
The facility is located approximately 10 miles southwest of Columbia and is accessible by major highways including U.S. Interstates 26 and 20.
