Community Connections

Atlantic Silica Sand

The Cretaceous rocks of New Brunswick make up a very small part of our geology, however they are an important part of the local economy. The Cassidy Lake deposit near Sussex is New Brunswick's most productive and longstanding silica operation. The silica was first discovered in the late 1970s when a potash exploration drill hole intersected white quartzose material. The Cassidy Lake operation started production in 1986 with a processing plant on site. Atlantic Silica Inc. has operated a quarry in the Cretaceous deposit since its discovery.

The products made from this deposit include quartz pebbles for aquarium gravel, decorative stone, filtration media and quartz sand for blasting sands. Other uses include beach renewal, cement additive, concrete aggregate, construction sands, decorative sands, fertilizer filler, fiberglass, filtration sands, foundry sands, golf course sands, lawn bowling sands, mortar mixes, playground sands, refractory sands, silicon carbide, smelter flux, top dressing sand, traction sands, tree nursery grits, white bunker sand, sheet glass, and container glass.