Rowley industrial area

Rowley industrial area
Aerial view of the US Magnesium plant in Rowley
Map
Coordinates40°54′10″N 112°46′27″W / 40.90278°N 112.77417°W / 40.90278; -112.77417

Rowley is an industrial area in Tooele County, Utah, United States. Rowley sits on the western shore of the Great Salt Lake, approximately 15 miles (by road) north of I-80, Exit 77, serving Timpie/Rowley Junction.

Rowley was created in 1970[1] as the site of a large magnesium processing plant. The location was named after Jeff Rowley who was the CEO of National Lead Industries during the construction of the plant.[2] In the mid-70s, National Lead Industries changed its name to NL Industries and in 1980 sold the plant to AMAX.[2] In 1989, the facility was sold to the Renco Group, and the facility renamed Magnesium Corporation of America aka Magcorp.[2]

This facility was identified by the EPA as a major air polluter in the 1990s[3] and has been identified as a significant emitter of chlorine and bromine in the atmosphere.[4][5][6] In 2001, Magcorp went bankrupt and the Renco group purchased the assets and formed US Magnesium.[2] In 2005, the facility was investigated by the CDC for worker health hazards.[7]

In 2006, Allegheny Technologies announced plans to build a titanium smelter at Rowley, budgeted at $325 million.[8] The smelter was built adjacent to the US Magnesium plant.[9] The plant came online in 2012 and cost $460 million.[10] By September 2016, the smelter was idled because the metal could be procured on the market at a cost lower than the production cost at ATI.[11]

  1. ^ Liddel, Joseph T. (March 28, 1970). "All Roads lead to New Rowley Plant". Deseret News. p. 9. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Tripp, Thomas G. (2009). "Production of magnesium from Great Salt Lake, Utah USA". Natural Resources and Environmental Issues. 15. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  3. ^ The Filthy West. High Country News, September 16, 1996.
  4. ^ Fahys, Judy (August 28, 2008). "EPA: U.S. Magnesium Wastes Endanger Workers, Families, Birds". Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah. Archived from the original on August 17, 2011. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  5. ^ "EPA proposal to list the US Magnesium site on the National Priorities List, with support from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality". Archived from the original on May 9, 2010. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
  6. ^ Williams, Carter; Small, Adam (January 26, 2023). "What's behind northern Utah's 'brown clouds'? New study pinpoints a major source". KSL.com. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  7. ^ NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Report, U.S. Magnesium, Rowley, Utah (PDF) (Report). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. October 2005. HETA #2004-0169-2982. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  8. ^ "Allegheny Technologies Announces New Premium-Grade Titanium Sponge Facility". Industrial Media, LLC. Manufacturing.Net. June 25, 2006.
  9. ^ Tripp, Bryce T. (September 2008). "Great Salt Lake – The Titanium Connection". "Survey Notes", v. 40 no. 3. State of Utah. Utah Geological Survey.
  10. ^ "ATI titanium sponge facility qualified for aerospace". Euromoney Global Limited. metalbulletin.com. March 14, 2012.
  11. ^ "ATI Idles Utah Titanium Sponge Facility". MetalMiner. September 7, 2016.