Item 2. Properties
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Knife River currently maintains its principal executive office at 1150 W. Century Ave., Bismarck, North Dakota 58503. In addition to the principal office, Knife River maintains and operates physical locations in 14 states throughout the United States. Knife River’s operations include 180 active aggregate sites, 102 ready-mix plants, 56 asphalt plants, eight cement terminals, five liquid-asphalt terminal sites and six petroleum recovery collection points, as discussed in the section entitled “Item 1. Business.”
Aggregate sites and reserves
Knife River mines crushed stone and sand and gravel at its 180 active aggregate sites across its operating segments. The aggregates produced by Knife River are utilized in general construction and are a major component in the production of ready-mix concrete and asphalt.
Knife River’s aggregate sites contain both reserves and resources. Mineral reserves are defined as an estimate of tonnage that, in the opinion of the qualified person, can be economically mined or extracted, which includes diluting materials and allowances for losses that may occur throughout the process. Mineral reserves are classified into two categories as follows:
Proven — those reserves for which the quantity is computed from dimensions revealed by drill data, together with other direct and measurable observations, such as outcrops, trenches and quarry faces. The grade and quality of those reserves are computed from the results of detailed sampling, and the sampling and measurement data are spaced so closely and the geologic character is so well defined that size, shape, depth and mineral content of reserves are well established.
Probable — those reserves for which quantity, grade and quality are computed partly from specific measurements and partly from projections based on reasonable geologic evidence. The degree of assurance, although lower than that for proven reserves, is high enough to assume continuity between points of observation. Reported proven and probable reserves include only quantities that are owned in fee or under lease and for which all
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appropriate zoning and permitting have been obtained or are expected to be obtained through permit, contract or grandfathered status.
Mineral resources are defined as a concentration or occurrence of material of economic interest in such form, grade or quality, and quantity that has a reasonable prospect to be economically extracted. Mineral resources are classified into three categories as follows:
Measured — based on conclusive geological evidence and sampling, meaning that evidence is sufficient to test and confirm geological and grade or quality continuity. After applying modifying factors, measured resources may be converted to either proven or probable reserves.
Indicated — based on adequate geological evidence and sampling, meaning that evidence is sufficient to establish geological and grade or quality continuity with reasonable certainty. After applying modifying factors, indicated resources may be converted to probable reserves.
Inferred — based on limited geological evidence and sampling, meaning that evidence is only sufficient to establish that geological and grade or quality continuity is more likely than not. Upon further studies, inferred resources may be converted to reserves.
Aggregate reserve and resource estimates are calculated based on the best available data. Supporting data includes, but is not limited to, drill holes, geologic testing and other subsurface investigations; and surface feature investigations, such as, mine high walls, aerial photography and topography. Using available data, a final topography map is created with computer software and is used to calculate the volume variance between existing and final topographies. Volumes are then converted to tons using appropriate conversion factors. Property setbacks and other regulatory restrictions and limitations are identified to determine the total area available for mining. Knife River also considers mine plans, economic viability and production history in the aggregate reserve and resource estimates. Knife River’s reserve estimates include only salable tonnage and thus exclude waste materials that are generated in the crushing and processing phases of the operation. The reserves are based on estimates of volumes that can be economically extracted and sold to meet current market and product applications.
Knife River’s reserves and resources are on properties that are permitted, or are expected to be permitted, for mining under current regulatory requirements. The data used to calculate reserve and resource estimates may require revisions in the future to account for changes in customer requirements, regulatory requirements and unknown geological occurrences.
Knife River classifies the applicable quantity of a particular deposit as a reserve or resource by reviewing and analyzing, independently, each geological formation, testing results and production processes, along with other modifying factors, to determine an expected yield of recoverable tonnage an area will produce. These results may have an effect on mine plans and the selection of processing equipment. The results are reviewed by the qualified person and presented to the management team.
Management assesses the risks associated with aggregate reserve and resource estimates. These estimates may be affected by variability in the properties of the material, limits of the accuracy of the geotechnical data and operational difficulties in extraction of the computed material. Additionally, management assesses the risks associated in obtaining and maintaining the various land use, mining and environmental permits necessary for the properties to operate as mines. Annual reviews of mining reserves are conducted by the qualified individual and
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include procedures such as ensuring financial assumptions related to life of mine expenses are based on the most accurate estimates available.
Knife River has reviewed its properties and has determined it does not have any individual sites that are material. The following tables set forth details applicable to Knife River’s aggregate production and aggregate sites as of December 31, 2023, by the various regions where the sites are located.
Total Annual
Aggregate Production
Production Area Crushed Stone Sand & Gravel
(Tons in thousands)
Pacific 2,009 2,821
Northwest 5,473 3,771
Mountain 771 6,384
Central
3,089 3,821
Total 11,342 16,797
Aggregate Sites
Production Area Crushed Stone Sand & Gravel
Owned Leased Owned Leased
Pacific — 6 9 1
Northwest 11 12 14 12
Mountain 2 7 17 8
Central
9 2 52 24
Total 22 27 92 45
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The following table sets forth details applicable to Knife River’s aggregate reserves as of December 31, 2023.
Crushed Stone Sand & Gravel
Production Area Aggregate
Sites
Proven
Mineral
Reserves
Probable
Mineral
Reserves
Total
Mineral
Reserves
Proven
Mineral
Reserves
Probable
Mineral
Reserves
Total
Mineral
Reserves
Total
Mineral
Reserves
(Tons in thousands)
Pacific 14 94,737 39,064 133,801 27,461 — 27,461 161,262
Northwest 47 356,912 4,660 361,572 101,230 36,872 138,102 499,674
Mountain 32 92,820 11,582 104,402 87,787 34,032 121,819 226,221
Central
87 104,638 22,108 126,746 82,633 6,392 89,025 215,771
Total 180 649,107 77,414 726,521 299,111 77,296 376,407 1,102,928
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* The average selling price per ton for crushed stone and sand and gravel was $17.60 and $12.34, respectively, in 2023. The average selling price includes freight and delivery and other revenues.
** The aggregates mined are of suitable grade and quality to be used as construction materials and no further grade or quality disclosure is applicable.
The following table sets forth details applicable to Knife River’s aggregate resources as of December 31, 2023.
Sand & Gravel
Production Area Aggregate
Sites
Measured
Mineral
Resources
Indicated
Mineral
Resources
Measured +
Indicated
Mineral
Resources
Inferred
Mineral
Resources
(Tons in thousands)
Pacific 2 14,673 — 14,673 54,660
Northwest 2 18,237 11,706 29,943 23,033
Mountain 2 11,500 3,029 14,529 —
Central
— — — — —
Total 6 44,410 14,735 59,145 77,693
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* Pacific, Northwest and Mountain all have sites that include both reserves and resources, which are included in the aggregate sites for reserves.
Our mining properties are categorized as follows: (1) Production Stage – properties with reported proven or probable reserves where the Company is actively mining aggregates, (2) Development Stage – properties with reported proven or probable reserves where the Company is not actively mining aggregates, and (3) Exploration Stage – properties with no reported reserves.
Of Knife River’s 180 active properties, 138 are in a production stage and 42 are in a development stage. Additionally, the Company has six properties in the exploration stage. As of December 31, 2023, 1.0 billion tons of estimated proven and probable reserves are located on production stage properties and 95 million tons on developmental stage properties. The Company classifies aggregates located on exploration stage properties as resources. Knife River’s aggregate annual production in tons for all aggregate mining properties was 30.7 million, 32.2 million and 31.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The average selling price per ton for crushed stone and sand and gravel was $17.60 and $12.34, respectively, in 2023. Actual pricing varies by location and market. The price for each commodity was calculated by dividing 2023 revenues by tons sold. The average pricing is based on salable product, or materials that are ready for sale. Knife River believes the current sales price is reasonable and justifiable to estimate the aggregates’ current fair value, while the Consolidated Balance Sheets reflect the historical costs.
Knife River conducts its mining operations across 114 owned properties, of which 109 are active sites, and another 72 leased properties, of which 71 are active sites. Its reserves are comprised of 506 million tons on properties that are owned and 596 million tons that are leased. The remaining reserve life in years was calculated by
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dividing remaining reserves by the three-year average production from 2021 through 2023. Knife River estimates the useful life of its owned reserves are approximately 28 years based on the most recent three-year production average. Approximately 36 percent of the reserves under lease have lease expiration dates of more than 20 years and the weighted average years remaining on all leases containing estimated proven aggregate reserves is approximately 19 years, including options for renewal that are at Knife River’s discretion. The average time necessary to produce remaining aggregate reserves from its leased sites is approximately 47 years. Some sites have leases that expire prior to the exhaustion of the estimated reserves. The estimated reserve life assumes, based on Knife River’s experience, that leases will be renewed to allow sufficient time to fully recover these reserves. Actual useful lives of these reserves will be subject to, among other things, fluctuations in customer demand, customer specifications, geological conditions and changes in mining plans.
Internal Controls Over Aggregate Reserves
Reserve and resource estimates are based on the analyses of available data by qualified internal mining engineers, operating personnel and third-party geologists. Senior management reviews and approves reserve and resource quantity estimates and reserve classifications, including the major assumptions used in determining the estimates, such as life, pricing, cost and volume, among other things, to ensure they are materially accurate. For aggregate reserve and resource additions, management, which includes the qualified person, performs its due diligence and reviews the study of technical, economic and operating factors, as well as applicable supplemental information, including a summary of the site’s geotechnical report. Knife River maintains a database of all aggregate reserves, which is reconciled at least annually and reviewed and approved by the qualified person.
The evaluation, classification and estimation of reserves has inherent risks, including changing geotechnical, market and permitting conditions. The qualified person and management work together to assess these risks regularly and amend the reserve and resource assessments as new information becomes available.