Town of Cochrane Strategic Plan – Final Report October 2014
reflecting the heavy use of clay brick as a siding material in new home construction. In 2009,
demand for clay brick was very low due to the ongoing severe contraction in new housing
construction.167
Industry Requirements
Aside from needing large deposits of clay, success of a brick manufacturing plant relies on a stable
and plentiful heat source for firing and effective transportation of the finished product to suppliers.
Heat Source: Traditionally, the primary heat source for firing clay brick is fossil fuel for a periodic
kiln, however other sources such as coal and sawdust are also used. A periodic kiln is a permanent
brick structure with a number of fireholes through which fuel enters the furnace. Hot gases from
the fuel are first drawn up over the bricks, then down through them by underground flues, and
then out of the kiln to the stack. In all kilns, firing takes place in six steps: evaporation of free
water, dehydration, oxidation, vitrification, flashing, and cooling. For most types of brick, the
entire drying, firing, and cooling process takes between 20 and 50 hours.168
Freight Transportation: Given the location of the community, freight transportation via rail would
be efficient and provide a strong competitive advantage based on location. The Ontario Northland
Transportation Commission offers rail freight service to businesses which includes mineral and
forest products, chemicals, petroleum, and other products to and from Northeastern Ontario and
Northwestern Québec. This rail freight service also interconnects with other rail services including
the Canadian National in Noranda, Québec; the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Rail
Service in North Bay, Ontario; and the Canadian National in Hearst, Ontario – both of which
service all of Canada, US, and CPR services Mexico.
Natural Resources & Management
Varved clay deposits are found all throughout Northeastern Ontario, with widespread deposits
found along the Abitibi River in the Cochrane District.169
Quarries for clay brick operations operate under License granted by the Ministry of Natural
Resources (MNR), in accordance with the Aggregate Resources Act. The License requires an
approved Site Plan that typically contains operational, water, progressive and final rehabilitation
plans, which are prepared in consultation with interested parties including the MNR, Conservation
Authorities and local levels of government. Additional targets including control of dust and effluent
discharge are set by the Ministry of Environment (MOE). Once mining operations at a quarry are
complete, the land is carefully backfilled and returned to a state as close as possible to the
167
“U.S. Brick & Block Demand to Reach 12.4 Billion Units in 2014”,Ceramic Industry News Online, September 24,
2010. Available at: http://tinyurl.com/le8xo4l
168
Brick and Structual Clay Product Manufacturing. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Available at:
http://www.epa.gov/ttnchie1/ap42/ch11/final/c11s03.pdf
169
G.R. Guillet. Ontario Geological Survey 1977. “Clay and Shale Deposits of Ontario.” Available at:
http://tinyurl.com/mwr6bus
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