The rock quarry, operated by Rock Wool Products Ltd., at Gap Lake, west of Exshaw, was visited by the author on September 4, 1952, in company with Mr. J. Gregory, Provincial Industrial Engineer, Mr. S. Sinclair of the University of Alberta, and Mr. A.G. Swan of the Alberta Research Council. An examination of the quarrying operations was made to determine the suitability of the present pit for supplying wool rock to the plant.
Also present to discuss the problems encountered and to provide information were Mr. J. Young, General Manager of Western Insulation, Ltd., of Vancouver, Mr. J.T. McLaren, General Manager of Rock Wool Products Ltd. of Calgary, and Mr. J.M. Cummings of Windermere, who is consulting engineer for the Rock Wool Products Company.
The present operators of the plant contend that the existing quarry is unsuitable, the principal reasons given being : 1) The remaining supply of suitable wool rock is inadequate, considering the possibility of economic removal. 2) Fluctuations in the melting characteristics of the rock from the quarry make proper operation of the furnace and blowing of wool impossible. 3) The cost of mining material in the quarry is uneconomical because of the small scale of production caused by furnace difficulties and the scarcity of labour to operate the plant on two or three shifts. 4)An excessive amount of waste rock and overburden must be removed before the useable rock can be obtained, and slides and washes of overburden occur into the quarry. 5) The present supply of flux is unsuitable.
Patching, T.H. (1952): Report on quarry operation at Rock Wool Products quarry: Gap Lake, Alta.; Research Council of Alberta, RCA/AGS Open File Report 1952-01, 12 p.