After months of preparation, Tiller Corp. expects to begin hauling gravel from the Zavoral mining site in Scandia on Monday.
The City Council approved permits for the controversial mine last winter after a series of public hearings. Opponents said the mine would bring dust, noise, danger from heavy trucks and pollution to the nearby St. Croix River. Tiller countered that the gravel would be processed in another location, diminishing chances for potential spills.
Most of the gravel will be hauled to another Tiller site off Lofton Avenue in Scandia, where it will be sorted into "construction grade aggregate" for use in local projects. Some gravel could be hauled directly to construction zones, Tiller said.
Permits allow Tiller a three-phase mining project for 40 months, removing up to 1.2 million tons of gravel. The project will include reclamation of 64 acres of the 114-acre site, near the intersection of Hwys. 97 and 95.
Tiller is a Maple Grove company.
Kevin Giles
@stribgiles
