The short answer is stone, sand and gravel. But that's just scratching the surface. It is the grains of sand that make up our roads and sidewalks. It is in the bricks and concrete blocks that make up the walls of our homes, schools and workplaces. Aggregate also plays a lesser-known yet vital role in our water purification process and can even be found in pharmaceuticals, toothpaste, make-up, paint and paper among other products we use on a daily basis. When you think about it, aggregate is quite literally the foundation of our economy and society – which is a very impressive accomplishment for something as small as a grain of sand.

We have two different sizes of dump trucks. A Tandem, which is the smaller of the two can transport around 14 tons. A Triaxle, which is larger can transport around 22 tons.

​The aggregate industry is regulated by more than 24 pieces of legislation that protect the environment and future resources. Pits and quarries are what we call temporary land uses, which means that once they are no longer being used to extract aggregate (and even while they are still being used) the producers either return them to their original land use or, in many cases, improve upon it. This practice has made this industry one of the largest creators of wetlands in Ontario. It has also created several well-known attractions such as local golf courses, parks, botanical gardens, and vineyards. ​For more information on Ontario Wetlands please visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/wetland-conservation Aggregate extraction is actually a very clean and largely mechanical process. The only processing that aggregate requires is crushing, screening, blending and sometimes washing (with water). No chemicals are used in the processing of aggregates. The water that's used in aggregate processing is recycled in a closed loop system and is regulated by the Ontario Water Resources Act and controlled through Permits to Take Water.

​Stone, sand and gravel can often be recycled or reused, and this is done whenever possible. Asphalt and concrete are two materials that are amongst the most recycled commodities in North America.

Cubic yards are also used to measure the carrying capacity of dump trucks. Dump trucks can usually carry about 12 – 18 cubic yards, depending on the material and size of the truck. To understand what a cubic yard looks like, it is easiest to think of one as a cube of material around 3 feet in length, height, and width. One cubic yard is the equivalent of 27 cubic feet. The weight of one cubic yard fluctuates, depending on the material, typically it is equivalent to 1.3 tons.

​•Full tandem load of soil. 18 cubic yards in volume. Measures 21 ft long X 18 ft wide X 4 ft high •Full tandem load of mulch. 18 cubic yards in volume. Measures 21 ft long X 15 ft wide X 5 ft high •Full tandem load of 7/8″ crushed limestone. 16 metric tonnes or approximately 11 cubic yards in volume. Measures 17 ft long X 17 ft wide X 5 ft high