Rock demand is dictated by customers for high- and low-grade products, this demand fluctuates by both season and market demand. For this reason, when we discuss trucking volume we quote annual averages for the annual peak expected production to provide for a conservative estimate. For example, our estimated number of loads per day of gypsum is 40. However, since the quarry started producing gypsum the average number of loads trucked per days of active trucking has only been 37. HRH is constantly striking a balance between multiple factors including customer requirements, mitigating the impact to the community, weather, spring weight restrictions, product availability and trucking capacity. These factors require the actual number of trucks that haul each day to fluctuate throughout the year.
Have alternatives been discussed or explored on alternative methods to transport the low-grade gypsum, without increasing truck traffic (ie: decreasing daily transport of high-grade to allow transport of low-grade, as in 6 trucks/hour transporting high-grade, 2 trucks/hour transporting low-grade= still 8 trucks/hour; or extending project life by 1 year, in which no other operations are occurring, simply removal and transport of the low-grade stockpile at the same current trucking rate)?