New Venture
Accidental Discovery of Marble Leads Bob Davis Into a Different Business
By Bobbi Mlynar (Contact)
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Photo by Katie Freeman
The lake that Bob Davis tried to dig on his land became the first quarry where the marble was discovered. It has since been filled with water and stocked with fish and made into the lake he was looking for.
OLPE
Bob Davis was digging a livestock pond west of Olpe about 18 months ago when he struck such a mass of rock that he had to stop digging. He moved about a half-mile west to try again and encountered the same problem.
Another man might have been frustrated and given up; Davis saw it as an opportunity.
“I got to thinking, there’s got to be something here,” Davis said.
Davis was right. Further analysis showed that Davis’ ranch contains tons and tons of marble that now is being harvested and sold by Davis’ new company, Pyramid Stone. The company logo features a three-dimensional pyramid to illustrate its name, and a catchline, “Flint Hills Stone, Natural Beauty.”
The marble is being used for floor and wall tile, patios, fireplaces and recreational areas, while larger pieces are going into walls of expensive houses; negotiations are underway to develop additional uses.
“We sell a lot of it,” Davis said, naming Oklahoma, Missouri and Nebraska as steady markets, though boundaries extend well beyond that from time to time.
Sutherland’s has exclusive rights as Pyramid Stone’s dealer in this area.
On Thursday at the scale house, Davis displayed foot-square tiles that had been cut and polished for flooring.
“See the fossils in it?” he asked, showing a finished tile with fossils adding interest to the natural pattern of light to dark grays. The marble was sent to Traventine, N.M., for processing into tiles, then shipped back. Nearby, a tall, broad piece of marble stood propped against a wall.
“That will polish up like a mirror,” he said.
Similar pieces already have been made into headstones for Davis’ brother, Frank, who died recently, and for his wife, himself, an aunt and uncle and a friend.
The possibilities for using marble continue to unfold for the lifelong rancher and agribusinessman.
He talked about this new — and totally unexpected — venture on Thursday, as he drove his Chevy 4x4 through a pasture full of neatly stacked piles of giant marble squares and rectangles.
“You never know what’s going to come out of the ground,” he said, pointing toward a perfectly formed 25-foot spear leaning against the tablets of marble.
Some of the marble seems to shape itself; other pieces have to be broken to pull from the ground.
“It’s laying in there in seams,” Davis said. “Some of them are so big we have to drive wedges and then split them.”
Most come out in thick squares or rectangles. A gigantic piece, with almost perfectly straight lines and estimated to weigh 110,000 pounds, eventually will be purchased and removed.
Until then, it forms part of the base of a dig area.
“I don’t go any deeper than this,” Davis said, driving into a marble pit about 20 feet deep, “but this will extend for miles.”
Below that depth, bringing out marble is not economically feasible, he said. The marble in the ground may be free for the taking, but the cost of getting it out and hauling it to another destination is not. Davis invested in a number of pieces of equipment to develop Pyramid Stone, including massive fork lifts and digging scoops that can handle tons of weight and bring it to the surface.
“This was an old ocean floor 230 million years ago,” Davis said on a drive-through of a section currently being worked. Flakier sections around the marble show evidence of the volcanic eruptions and upheavals that occurred as the marble was being created.
“This was probably a desert for two thousand, three thousand years,” he said. “It laid there for thousands of years in the heat and the sun and as it dried up, it probably cracked itself.”
The results of all that geologic activity are being uncovered little by little on about 1,000 acres of pastureland that holds a part of the family history. Davis’ great-grandfather Grafenstine established the ranch there in 1860.
“There’s the old schoolhouse where Dad got all his formal education,” Davis said, pointing to remaining walls of a rock building he plans to restore as a museum.
Farther west, in another pasture, are remnants of a dark charcoal-gray stone fence at the site of the Grafenstines’ original homestead.
The darker the gray, the better the quality of marble, Davis said.
“All stone is limestone, even granite, marble,” Davis said. “What makes it different is the density and the weight per cubic foot.”
Marble weighs about 165 pounds pcf.
“Anything above 165, if it’s got the right consistency, could be granite,” he said.
The marble is piled four or five tablets high in a maze of locations in several pastures where it is mined.
He keeps between 12,000 and 15,000 tons of stone as inventory, moving it in and out as needed. As demand continues to increase, there is almost more work at Pyramid Stone and his other interests than time allows to be completed, and Davis sees no stopping point in the future.
“I’ve got a four-year-old grandson,” he said. “He’ll never get it all dug out.”
Comments
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
Posted by traceygraham (anonymous) on September 16, 2007 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm wondering if Mr. Davis has had any geologists out to look at the site. This could be a scientifically interesting rock layer, especially considering "marble" requires significant amounts of metamorphism and this area really hasn't had that kind of activity in its past. There's lots and lots of limestone in KS, (that's what makes the Flint Hills HILLS) but to turn limestone into marble, you need heat and pressure (either due to mountain building - which hasn't happened here since the deposition of the limestones 200-300 million or so years ago; or to deep burial - and then later uplift to expose the stone near enough to the surface to be able to quarry it; and/or movement of hot fluids through the rock. I'm also curious about which geological formation this "marble" is. If it's near enough to the surface to quarry, then there has to be a natural exposure of it somewhere (most likely to the east), where it has been named and described in detail. Has there been any contact with the geologists at ESU, KU or K-State? If so, what do the scientists have to say? If not, why not?
Posted by Kstrebuchet (anonymous) on September 16, 2007 at 8:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Does anyone know if Mr Davis will continue with his obligation
as County Comissioner until the terms end or now that he is making all this money will he leave Lyon County residents to find another before his term is up?
Posted by abc123 (anonymous) on September 17, 2007 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This article makes me visualize whoever Mr. Davis is with a big pot belly, lots of gold rings and chains, aviator shades and a big cowboy hat, chewing on a fat cigar and chuckling about all his wealth, "ha ha ha they'll never dig it all out!" "Scientists, whacha mean?.... these is just some big ol' rocks boys!"
Capitalism at it's best! Congrats Mr. Davis, it's like hititng that big pot of "Texas Tea"!
Posted by KristieR (anonymous) on September 17, 2007 at 10:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, I wish I could be so lucky! But, I'll stick with my marble-look laminate counter-tops.
What will happen to the land after it's been all dug up and rendered useless? Will it be a big hole in the ground that no one can do anything with?
Kristie
Posted by ratdog (anonymous) on September 17, 2007 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Like none of you would ever try to profit in a similar situation.... Give me a break! Big holes in the Flint Hills usually become lakes. Got anything against lakes?
Posted by blulitespecial (anonymous) on September 17, 2007 at 12:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lakes are good... and I need some patio tile.
Posted by Kstrebuchet (anonymous) on September 17, 2007 at 12:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You Bet I would cash in! Might even buy me some gold rings and chains, aviator shades and a big cowboy hat just like ABC123 said.
The only thing I could find in my pasture was some goat poop, anybody need any goat poop? lol
Posted by create (anonymous) on September 17, 2007 at 12:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The American dream, striking treasure on your own property. Neat! I especially like the idea of fossils showing up in the marble here and there. Fascinating. Good for the Davises.
Posted by KristieR (anonymous) on September 17, 2007 at 3:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh, I would totally cash that in too. I hope it didn't come across as that I wouldn't. I do wonder what becomes of the land though. I'm more concerned with erosion problems than anything. We have a few quarrys where I live and big rains will wash mud/debris over the roads. You still have to be conscious of the ramifications while you rake in the dough.
Posted by siamesefred (anonymous) on September 18, 2007 at 7:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Personally, I think Mr. Davis knows what he's doing. The first site he quarried has been turned into a lake. I suspect the second will, too, or he might fill it back in. The photos made it look as if he's not digging too deeply or too extensively.
Posted by etown (anonymous) on September 18, 2007 at 11:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes, the land has been inspected by an ESU geologist. Mr. Davis wouldn't be at this point if it hadn't been inspected. Congrats to him!
Posted by traceygraham (anonymous) on September 20, 2007 at 4:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I didn't mean to imply that Mr Davis shouldn't develop his resources. I undoubtedly would if it were _my_ land. If I could afford land that is...
What I was trying to say in my original comment is that I would like to hear more about the science of the area. It wasn't covered at all in the article, and I'm just curious about it. What can I say? I like science! I know that makes me weird, but I'm too old to change that now.
Posted by siamesefred (anonymous) on September 21, 2007 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Tracey: Someone who's seen the site says it's fascinating... you're actually looking at an old ocean floor. It would be wonderful if a small area could be maintained for school field trips.
Posted by create (anonymous) on September 21, 2007 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree, siamesefred. What a great teaching tool. I'm glad you brought up the idea about looking at an old ocean floor. That certainly serves to put the site into perspective. Perhaps someone will provide some close up photos of the fossils. When I took Earth Science at ESU, Professor Paul Johnson took the class out to look at fossils in the strata along I-35 where deep cuts had been made during the making of the highway. I thought that was fascinating then. This must be really something.
Posted by traceygraham (anonymous) on September 22, 2007 at 3:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about!
It would be so cool to use a portion of the site and/or materials from the site for education. For all I know this is actually happening, but as nothing of the sort was reported in the article, I don't know if it is or not.
When I first moved to Emporia, I got to go on a field trip with Dr. Johnston, and learned so very much in that one day. The man is a walking geologic encyclopedia. Then when I taught at ESU, I got to take students on field trips - Kahola, Cottonwood Falls, Strong City, Melvern, Thorndale... I assume they're still doing that there, but maybe with budget cuts and high gas prices, they've had to cut that down.
The very best place to learn geology is in the field. It's really cool to stand on a rock layer and visualize the area as it must have been at the time the sediments were deposited 100s of 1000s or tens to 100s of millions of years ago, with 10s to 100s of feet of water overhead, and all sorts of critters living on or in the sediments. You can talk about it in the classroom, but to really visualize it, you need to be outdoors!
Posted by create (anonymous) on September 22, 2007 at 3:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Exactly! You made me want to take a field trip, Tracey.
Posted by Kstrebuchet (anonymous) on September 22, 2007 at 5:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not trying to get off subject here, but did anyone else notice, you cant put comments on the (county commissioner)Scott Briggs article but your allowed to put comments on this one? Mr Davis and Mr Briggs are both Lyon County Commissioners but I guess Mr Briggs has more pull when it comes to getting Neg comments about him on his article.
Posted by create (anonymous) on September 22, 2007 at 6:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I noticed it too and mentioned it on one of the other more active posts. I believe you're right, tre. Very strange indeed. I don't like the smell of that soup!
Posted by Kstrebuchet (anonymous) on September 22, 2007 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think ol midnightlilly may have got themselves in a wee bit of trouble for slandering briggs name
Posted by create (anonymous) on September 22, 2007 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You're probably right. I'm guessing someone pressed the "suggest removal" button. Or something.
Posted by glarson (Gwen Larson) on September 24, 2007 at 7:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Fair comment is something The Gazette takes very seriously. Libelous statements, however, will not be published, either online or in the print edition.
None of the comments made here about Mr. Davis' private venture are libelous.
Gwen Larson
Managing Editor
Posted by Kstrebuchet (anonymous) on September 24, 2007 at 7:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gwen
figured that this was the case, "midnightlilly" didn't seem to like Mr Briggs very well, I don't think anybody took them to seriously.
Posted by january (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 11:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The professors at Emporia State have told this gentleman multiple times that he does not have marble on his property but rather limestone, but he will not listen to them. I wish he would check his facts before agreeing to do an interview with the newspaper, because he is also incorrect when he states that it was formed by undersea volcanoes. I also wish people would stop referring to his stone as "marble."
Post a comment
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. Our goal with this feature is to encourage thoughtful discussions about the news stories. Using the comment feature to make random attacks on people is not acceptable. Emporiagazette.com neither endorses nor guarantees the accuracy of any user contribution. Responsibility for what is posted or contributed to this site is the sole responsibility of each user. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
(Requires free registration.)