PART 1: INDUSTRY STRUCTURE (Aggregates & Mining)

1.1 What We Actually Do

We do not “serve mining.”

We perform:

Aerial inventory measurement and volumetric reporting for outdoor bulk materials.

Mining & aggregates just happens to be the best-fit vertical.

Core Function:

Capture aerial imagery
Generate 3D surface models
Calculate volumes
Provide cut/fill comparisons
Deliver audit-ready reporting

Everything else is industry context.

1.2 The Mining & Aggregates Ecosystem

A. Metals Mining (Not Our Focus)

Gold, copper, iron ore
Massive open pits
Benches, haul roads, highwalls
Rare in Texas
Highly engineered, global operators

Status: Opportunistic, not primary.

B. Coal Mining (Declining Sector)

Strip mining
Draglines
Massive earth movement
Regulatory decline

Status: Low priority.

C. Construction Materials (PRIMARY FOCUS)

This is where we dominate.

It includes:

Crushed Stone (Quarries)
Sand & Gravel (Dredge or excavated)
Lime/Cement
Terminals
Ready Mix (Batch Plants)
Asphalt Plants
Concrete Recyclers

This entire chain touches the same materials multiple times.

That’s the key insight.

PART 2: THE MATERIAL FLOW (Why This Industry Works for Us)

2.1 Quarry (Stone Mining)

~~Process:~~

~~Remove overburden~~

~~Drill bore holes~~

~~Blast rock~~

~~Load shot rock~~

~~Haul to primary crusher~~

~~Convey to secondary crushers~~

~~Separate by size~~

~~Stockpile finished product~~

Drone Applications:

~~Overburden cut/fill~~

~~Bench progression~~

~~Shot rock volume~~

~~Finished stockpiles~~

~~Monthly reconciliation~~

~~Multi-surface comparisons (RTK required)~~

2.2 Sand & Gravel Plants

~~Process:~~

~~Excavate or dredge~~

~~Wash material~~

~~Screen material~~

~~Separate sand vs gravel~~

~~Stockpile products~~

Key Differences vs Quarries:

~~Messier sites~~

~~Poor pile definition~~

~~Moisture variability~~

~~Often near rivers~~

~~Heavy wash plant infrastructure~~

Drone Applications:

~~Wet sand volume~~

~~Multi-product tracking~~

~~Dredge progression~~

~~Wash plant feed tracking~~

2.3 Cement & Lime Plants

~~Process:~~

~~Mine limestone~~

~~Crush material~~

~~Heat in kiln (extreme temps)~~

~~Produce clinker/lime~~

~~Store in silos~~

~~Fuel kilns with coal~~

Drone Applications:

~~Coal inventory~~

~~Overburden~~

~~Raw material piles~~

~~Outdoor storage~~

~~Terminal inventory~~

~~Indoor stockpiles = possible but not preferred.~~

2.4 Terminals

~~Function:~~

~~Rail in~~

~~Stockpile~~

~~Load out to trucks~~

~~Serve metro markets~~

~~Strategic importance:~~

~~Centrally located~~

~~High throughput~~

~~Recurring inventory need~~

~~Terminals are ideal recurring customers.~~

2.5 Ready Mix (Batch Plants)

~~Function:~~

~~Store aggregates in bins~~

~~Mix with cement + water~~

~~Load concrete trucks~~

~~Deliver within 30-minute radius~~

Why We Love Them:

~~Extremely dense geographically~~

~~Multiple sites per owner~~

~~Recurring replenishment~~

~~Tight inventory cycles~~

~~Easy visual identification (silos + bins)~~

2.6 Asphalt Plants

~~Process:~~

~~Aggregate~~

~~Oil binder~~

~~Heat drum~~

~~Mix~~

~~Load hot~~

~~Key marker:~~

~~The “arch” structure over drum system~~

~~RAP (Recycled Asphalt Pavement) piles~~

Drone Applications:

~~RAP volume~~

~~Aggregate inventory~~

~~Multi-yard operations~~

2.7 Concrete Recyclers

~~Function:~~

~~Accept demolished concrete~~

~~Crush it~~

~~Screen it~~

~~Sell flex base~~

~~Often:~~

~~Messy yards~~

~~Mixed materials~~

~~Irregular piles~~

~~Great recurring volume clients.~~

PART 3: COMPANY STRATIFICATION

Tier 1 – Super Majors

~~Examples:~~

~~Martin Marietta~~

~~Heidelberg Materials~~

~~CRH~~

~~Rogers Group~~

~~AMI~~

~~Characteristics:~~

~~Hundreds of locations~~

~~Regional divisions~~

~~Area managers~~

~~Structured corporate hierarchy~~

~~Approach:~~

~~Start local~~

~~Expand regionally~~

~~Learn division structure~~

~~Sell upward after entry~~

Tier 2 – Regionals

~~Examples:~~

~~Burnco~~

~~TexMix~~

~~Arcosa~~

~~Knife River~~

~~Characteristics:~~

~~Multi-state~~

~~5–40 locations~~

~~Strong regional identity~~

~~Decision-making semi-centralized~~

~~Ideal targets.~~

Tier 3 – Local Multi-Yard Operators

~~Examples:~~

~~Titan ReadyMix~~

~~Reynolds Asphalt~~

~~3–6 site operators~~

~~Sweet spot:~~

~~Enough scale to care~~

~~Not too bureaucratic~~

~~Recurring opportunity~~

~~Accessible leadership~~

Tier 4 – One-Off Operators

~~Examples:~~

~~Single yard sand pit~~

~~Small ready mix startup~~

~~Generally:~~

~~Budget sensitive~~

~~Low complexity~~

~~Limited growth potential~~

~~Low priority unless:~~

~~Strategic geography~~

~~Clusters nearby~~