Frac Sand

What is it?

Frac sand is a very important resource in Wisconsin. It is specifically sized grains of sand that can be used in extracting oil. The near pure quartz sand grains are put into fluid that is injected into oil at high pressure. The high pressure opens up fractures and helps to keep them open once the fluid is pumped out. The specific sand is found in many areas of Wisconsin but mostly in western and central Wisconsin.

Issues With Fracking

There are a couple of issues surrounding fracking. A lot of the issues are public health concerns. Many of the people in the area are scared of the mines because of the silica dust that they produce. There have been dangers to some of the workers in the mine that cause fear in the general public. Exposure to silica can cause chronic silicosis which can be fatal.

There are also some issues when it comes to local water sources. When processing the sand, there are certain chemicals that are used. These chemicals called flocculants can end up seeping into the ground and infiltrate the ground water. This leads to more concerns to the public close to the mines. Long term exposure of drinking water with these chemicals can lead to many health risks. 

GIS and Fracking

GIS and the frac sand mining industry can go together very well. GIS gives the ability to monitor and keep data on all of the mines. It can also use spatial analysis to monitor things like the proximity of mines to largely populated areas. GIS data that shows information and the location on local wells could help to prevent the contamination of local water supplies. GIS can also help to track the shipping and movement of frac sand to see areas where the sand has been. GIS has so many applications that could help to better manage the mines. 

Sources

http://isthmus.com/news/news/the-fight-over-frac-sand-mining-in-wisconsin/

https://wgnhs.uwex.edu/wisconsin-geology/frac-sand-mining/

http://apps.startribune.com/blogs/user_images/sand2.JPG

http://wcwrpc.org/frac-sand-factsheet.pdf