Item 2. Properties
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
We currently maintain our principal executive office at 1150 W. Century Ave., Bismarck, North Dakota 58503. In addition to the principal office, we maintain and operate physical locations in 14 states throughout the United States. Our operations include the following properties:
West
Mountain Central
Energy Services
Consolidated
Knife River
Active Aggregate Sites
71 35 102 — 208
Ready-Mix Plants
51 14 70 — 135
Asphalt Plants
18 15 22 — 55
Liquid Asphalt Terminals — — — 9 9
Cement Terminals 8 — — — 8
Aggregate sites and reserves
We mine crushed stone and sand and gravel at our active aggregate sites across our segments. The aggregates produced are utilized in general construction and are a major component in the production of ready-mix concrete and asphalt.
Our 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
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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 appropriate zoning and permitting have been obtained or are expected to be obtained through permit, contract or legacy 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. We also consider mine plans, economic viability and production history in the aggregate reserve and resource estimates. Our 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 and anticipated market and product applications.
Our 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.
We classify 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.
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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 include procedures such as ensuring financial assumptions related to life of mine expenses are based on the most accurate estimates available.
We have reviewed our properties and have determined we do not have any individual sites that are material. The following tables set forth details applicable to our aggregate production and aggregate sites as of December 31, 2025, by the various regions where the sites are located.
Total Annual
Aggregate Production
Production Area Crushed Stone Sand & Gravel
(Tons in thousands)
West
6,471 6,268
Mountain 804 5,774
Central
3,319 5,032
Total 10,594 17,074
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Aggregate Sites*
Production Area Crushed Stone Sand & Gravel
Owned Leased Owned Leased
West
14 23 27 11
Mountain 3 6 16 10
Central
9 5 66 23
Total 26 34 109 44
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* Includes 5 sites that are classified as exploration stage properties.
The following table sets forth details applicable to our aggregate reserves as of December 31, 2025.
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)
West
71 525,526 60,161 585,687 107,612 11,831 119,443 705,130
Mountain 35 79,018 — 79,018 133,821 13,318 147,139 226,157
Central
102 112,426 86,580 199,006 167,253 6,527 173,780 372,786
Total 208 716,970 146,741 863,711 408,686 31,676 440,362 1,304,073
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1 The average selling price per ton for crushed stone and sand and gravel was $21.55 and $14.39, respectively, in 2025. The average selling price includes freight and delivery and other revenues.
2 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 our aggregate resources as of December 31, 2025.
Crushed Stone Sand & Gravel
Production Area Aggregate
Sites Measured
Mineral
Resources Indicated
Mineral
Resources Measured +
Indicated
Mineral
Resources Measured
Mineral
Resources Indicated
Mineral
Resources Measured +
Indicated
Mineral
Resources Inferred
Mineral
Resources
(Tons in thousands)
West
4 141,129 140,003 281,132 49,469 25,596 75,065 273,319
Mountain 0 — 47,749 47,749 22,228 11,131 33,359 4,132
Central 1 53,365 — 53,365 — — — —
Total 5 194,494 187,752 382,246 71,697 36,727 108,424 277,451
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* West, Mountain and Central all have sites that include both reserves and resources, which are included in the number of aggregate sites for reserves and not included in the number of aggregate sites for resources.
Our mining properties are categorized as follows: (1) Production Stage – properties with reported proven or probable reserves where we are actively mining aggregates, (2) Development Stage – properties with reported proven or probable reserves where we are not actively mining aggregates, and (3) Exploration Stage – properties with no reported reserves.
Of our 208 active properties, 181 are in a production stage and 27 are in a development stage. As of December 31, 2025, 1.20 billion tons of estimated proven and probable reserves are located on production stage properties and 104 million tons on developmental stage properties. We classify aggregates located on exploration stage properties as resources. Our aggregate annual production in tons for our aggregate mining properties included in this section was 27.7 million, 27.8 million and 28.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
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The average selling price per ton for crushed stone and sand and gravel was $21.55 and $14.39, respectively, in 2025. Actual pricing varies by location and market. The price for each commodity was calculated by dividing 2025 revenues by tons sold. The average pricing is based on salable product, or materials that are ready for sale. We believe the current sales price is reasonable and justifiable to estimate the aggregates’ current fair value, while the Consolidated Balance Sheets reflect the historical costs.
We conduct our mining operations across 135 owned properties, of which 132 are active sites, and another 78 leased properties, of which 76 are active sites. Our reserves are comprised of 741 million tons on properties that are owned and 563 million tons that are leased. The remaining reserve life in years was calculated by dividing remaining reserves by the three-year average production from 2023 through 2025. We estimate the useful life of our owned reserves are approximately 43 years based on the most recent three-year production average. Approximately 28 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 15 years. The average time necessary to produce remaining aggregate reserves from our leased sites is approximately 52 years. Some sites have leases that expire prior to the exhaustion of the estimated reserves. The estimated reserve life assumes, based on our 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. We maintain 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.