Mining co. wants to blast 600-foot hole near San Joaquin River north of Fresno. Locals worry
A company that has mined the San Joaquin River since 1913 is looking for approval once again to dig a 600-foot-deep mine along the San Joaquin River — and critics of the plan are preparing to fight it. The Mexico-based multinational company CEMEX has applied to modify the Rockfield Aggregate Facility on North Friant Road to allow them to dig and blast through hard rock as deep as two football fields for 100 years. The company processes gravel, sand and other building materials, and has applied before for such a project. … Critics of the project were recently preparing to take on the application, which they argue could have long-term effects on the San Joaquin River, lead to air and noise pollution and add more heavy trucks to Friant Road.
