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| Polaris has targeted northern California as the initial market for construction aggregates from the Orca Quarry. Extensive product testing by independent laboratories has confirmed that the Orca products are very high quality aggregates for use in concrete and exceed all specification requirements for California, as specified by the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS), or in the USA generally as specified by the American Society for the Testing of Materials (ASTM). Polaris has secured a long-term sales commitment to supply an established ready-mix concrete producer in the San Francisco Bay area and anticipates gaining access to other coastal US markets. |
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Scraper offloading into dump hopper |
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Specifications
Three products will be available from Polaris' Orca Sand & Gravel Quarry, two gravel sizes and a concrete sand:
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| 1. |
Type 57 Gravel |
ASTM Type 57 |
1" x #4 (25mm x 4.75 mm) |
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| 2. |
Type 7 Gravel |
ASTM Type 7 |
½" x #4 (12.5 mm x 4.75 mm) |
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| 3. |
Concrete Sand |
ASTM C33 |
Mean Fineness Modulus 2.75 |
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| Test Results
Aggregate Testing
Testing of basic properties, including petrographic analysis was carried out at the independent laboratories of AMEC Earth & Environmental and Golder Associates in Vancouver, BC.
The testing of bulk samples from the Orca Quarry, for performance in concrete mixes, was carried out by Dynamic Consultants Inc. at their laboratory in Mountain View, California.
The results of the test verified that Orca sand and gravel are premium quality materials whose properties exceed all California (CALTRANS) and national ASTM specifications for use in concrete.
Summary of Test Results
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| Property |
Test Protocol |
Orca S & G |
Compliance
Limit1 |
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| Specific Gravity (kg/m3) |
ASTM C127 |
2.87 |
- |
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| Absorption (%) |
ASTM C127 |
0.53 |
- |
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| Los Angeles Abrasion (%) |
ASTM C535 |
5.0 |
Max. 45 % |
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Magnesium Sulphate
Soundness (%) |
ASTM C88 |
< 1.0 |
Max. 15 % |
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| Alkali Reactivity (ASR) |
ASTM C227 |
No Potential |
- |
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| Cleanness Value |
CTM 227 |
95 |
Min. 75 |
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| Note: |
| 1. |
Compliance limits are either from Caltrans' Standard Specification 1999 or ASTM. |
| A test certificate for the Orca material is available showing the result of the long term (12 month) testing for alkali silica reactivity in accordance with ASTM C227.
Concrete Mix tests
Two concrete mixes were batched, a "5-sack" mix with ordinary Portland cement and a second mix with 15% of the cement replaced by fly ash, the nominal strength of each was 3,000 psi at 28 days. A water reducing admixture, which is commonly used in the San Francisco Bay area, was added. Water was added with a target of producing a 3 inch slump. In addition to compressive strength the drying shrinkage of each mix was measured using the ASTM C157 (modified) test procedure with the results evaluated against the Structural Engineers of California guidelines "Concrete Specifications Controlling Drying Shrinkage, 1979". Both mixes using Polaris' Orca Quarry aggregates produced results within the "Low Shrinkage" category, a very important factor in California ready mixed concrete markets.
Full test certificates are available for each of the mixes.
Summary of Concrete Mix Tests
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| Aggregate Mix |
Slump
Inches |
PFA |
Admix. |
28 Day
Strength |
% Drying
Shrinkage1 |
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| Orca coarse & fine |
2½ |
0 |
MB322N |
6,020 |
0.033 |
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| Orca coarse & fine |
2½ |
15% |
MB322N |
5,620 |
0.035 |
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| Note: |
| 1. |
Drying Shrinkage values equal to, or less than, 0.036% are Low Shrinkage. |
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| Data Sheets |
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Material Safety Data Sheet
June 1, 2008
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