A company was considering a significant quarry acquisition - but wanted an independent expert to verify the reserve assessment before committing.
Project
A company sought to purchase a quarry for industrial sand production. The seller provided a reserve assessment completed by another consultancy, but the buyer questioned the reliability of the results and commissioned QuarryDesign to undertake an independent Due Diligence review to PERC standards.
Data Acquired
QuarryDesign reviewed all investigation data, geological logs, sampling results, and the site’s permitted parameters. Collaboration with additional specialists ensured compliance with PERC reporting requirements.
Analysis
The review found several critical issues:
- The quarry was already operating 15 m below its permitted depth.
- Borehole data indicated a high proportion of interburden, reducing usable material.
- Two coal seams were present, making extraction costly and operationally challenging.
- None of the sampled material met the required industrial sand specifications.
Conclusion
The site was determined to have no viable Resource or Reserve of industrial sand. QuarryDesign advised the buyer not to proceed with the purchase, preventing a potentially significant financial loss.
