Aggregates

Mining and trucking are not just vital to our economy, they are vital to every aspect of our lives. The items we use on a daily basis all start with raw materials that are either mined or grown. Absolutely everything we depend on is either made from minerals or relies on minerals for its production. Every American will use 3.3 million pounds of metals, fuels and MINERALS in a lifetime.  

Each year, 10 tons (20,000 pounds) of aggregates are mined per person in the United States (2000 census). Eighty-six percent of the $121 billion worth of commodities delivered annually from sites in Maryland is transported by trucks on the state’s highways. An additional eight percent is delivered by parcel, U.S. Postal Service or courier, which use multiple modes, including highways (Trip: The Road Information Program).  

Aggregates are required to make the items we often take for granted: glass, paint, medicine, roads, bridges, bricks, plastic and of course, concrete. After an aggregate mining project is complete, it is necessary to reclaim the land so future generations can continue to have access to sustainable land.  

Chaney mine sites have been reclaimed into flourishing neighborhoods, golf courses and community recreation areas.   

Mining and Reclamation 

The company employs best industry practices in aggregate and concrete operations, land management, mining and reclamation while providing something we will all need as long as civilization exists.  

Our mining operation provides ingredients needed to produce the world’s most durable and environmentally friendly building material: concrete.

How does Chaney Enterprises mine? 

Before we develop a potential mining site, we educate and inform our community neighbors. Throughout the mining process, we consult with our neighbors, forming a team of engineers, Chaney Enterprises staff, and citizens.  

Our mining process typically involves three simultaneous stages: preparing 10 acres, mining 10 acres, and reclaiming and restoring 10 acres in a process called “10-10-10”. This way we move through the site in a way that ensures that no more than 30 acres is disturbed at a time. 

What happens to a mine site once Chaney Enterprises finishes mining it?  

The site is reclaimed, meaning we restore the land to its original use, or to a condition supporting an approved alternative use that is always in accordance with state and local regulations. This ensures adequate land stability, drainage, vegetative cover and esthetics—all to provide the most benefits to the community.  

Using the top layer of soil that is pulled back before the mining begins, we grade and contour the mined area. Then vegetation is planted. Some areas become wetlands, almost immediately serving as a habitat for plants and animals. Other mines sites have been reclaimed as farmland, green spaces, housing developments, recreational facilities and even an 18-hole golf course. Chaney Enterprises was honored with the Maryland Department of the Environment Reclamation Award and the Interstate Mining Compact Commission’s National Reclamation Award, and donates numerous acres of wetlands to state preservation programs.  

Case Study: Mardis Mine Site becomes Renditions Golf Course and Southern Hills Community?  

Beginning in the 1950’s, Chaney Enterprises started mining a plot of land in Davidsonville, MD known as the Mardis Mine Site. The land provided plentiful aggregates for almost 50 years, until the reclamation process began in 1999. During the course of the 50 year mining history, 347 acres were mined for sand and gravel. Because of the proximity to the Patuxent River, Chaney had to be especially sensitive to natural resources in the area. Several sediment traps and ponds were restored to encourage development of non-tidal wetlands and several of these water bearing areas were incorporated into the postmining land use.  

The site was reclaimed as a world-class replica golf course, known as Renditions Golf Course, designed by golf course architect Dave Edsall. All remaining stockpiles of sand were utilized in grading the site to achieve the elevations for each golf hole. The only material brought onto the site to complete this reclamation was a specific grade of topsoil that was required by the United State Golf Association for tees and greens. The golf course now provides an open space area and vegetated buffers for the Patuxent River, while providing and protecting a significant wooded wetland area.  

However, the reclamation story doesn’t end there! By the late 2010’s, Chaney Enterprises worked alongside Caruso Homes to build a premiere single-family home development located adjacent to Renditions Golf Course. The community features 24 new construction homes with large lot sizes and golf course views. The neighborhood features bright concrete roads and timeless concrete driveways all poured by Chaney Enterprises.