WorldWide Drilling Resource

23 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® FEBRUARY 2016 Oklahoma’s Food-Grade Gypsum Compiled by Amy White WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Oklahoma leads the country in gypsum mining. Big deal, right? Actually, it is a very big deal, especially if you’re a fan of Twinkies and beer. The Oklahoman ’s Mike Coppock explained: The next time you bite down into a Twinkie, know there is a good chance part of it was mined out of a mesa south of Little Sahara State Park. The same goes for the beer you may order...or the loaf of bread you buy at the grocery store... gypsum in Oklahoma is so pure that it is used as a calcium additive for foods we take for granted and in common medicines. Technically speaking, gypsum is a natu- rally-occurring hydrated salt of calcium and sulfate. It is an abundant mineral formed mil- lions of years ago due to the evaporation of shallow seas which once covered Oklahoma. Over five million tons of gypsum are mined annually in the state involving 22 companies spread across seven western counties. Major County is the number one source of gypsum in Oklahoma, producing more than 1.7 million tons annually. Typically, gypsum is mined in an open-pit quarry. The process is similar to that of many other rock quarries. First, exposed gypsum is fractured by drilling and blasting; then the fractured gypsum is loaded into trucks and transported to a processing plant. The chemical and physical properties of gypsummake it a valuable part of our everyday lives in things like canned vegetables, baked goods, and beer. Not to forget the mineral’s importance to our furry friends, gypsum is also used to make pet and animal food. Although Oklahoma sees tons of gypsum removed from the ground every year, Stan Krukowski with the Oklahoma Geological Survey said there is no concern about the state running out any time soon. Twinkie and beer lovers can rest assured. Natural gypsum formation, courtesy of the Gypsum Association. Las Vegas Dealmakers Gerald of Hunke Manufacturing, LLC, of Snyder, Nebraska, with Leonard and Rick of C.J. Hammer Pumps & Machinery Co. of Visalia, California. SEMCO, Inc. Tom (C) with B&B Well Drilling of Laton, California, was delighted to stand by his new GEFCO 50K rig with Jon and Charlie of GEFCO, Inc., an Astec Industries Company of Enid, Oklahoma. Jeri from SEMCO, Inc. of Lamar, Colorado, helped David and Jennifer from Dr. Well of Fair Oaks, California, with their new S6000 SEMCO pump hoist. Jeri from SEMCO, Inc. of Lamar, Colorado, stands with proud S30,000 SEMCO pump hoist owners Matt, Deb, Casie, and Jason from Tanner Well Service LLC, of Sierra Vista, Arizona. John w i t h Mud Te chno l ogy International, Inc. of Athens, Texas, congratulates Steve of Steve’s Pumps & Well Drilling, Inc. of Janesville, California, on the purchase of a new Mud-Tech RST 1400. GEFCO, Inc. Mud Technology International, Inc. Hunke Manufacturing, LLC