Donate
Search wpr.org
Banner with the text Grateful for members like you! Make your 2025 tax-deductible gift before Dec. 31. and a red Donate Now button over a background with apples.
, ,

Frac Sand Mining Operation In Chippewa County To Shut Down

Preferred Sands Says It's Temporarily Halting Work Due To Market Conditions

By

A frac sand mine and processing center in Chippewa County is shutting down because of poor market conditions.

Preferred Sands announced Thursday that it will temporarily suspend operations at its mine and processing facility near the City of Bloomer. The company declined to comment, but said in a press release that current market conditions forced the shutdown.

Preferred Sands says it intends to continue supplying customers from existing piles of processed sand at the Bloomer facility and will consider restarting the plant based on improvements in the frac sand market.

News with a little more humanity

WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” newsletter keeps you connected to the state you love without feeling overwhelmed. No paywall. No agenda. No corporate filter.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

This is the second announcement of its kind from a frac sand company in Wisconsin. In May, U.S. Silica announced it was laying off 30 employees at its plant in Sparta due to a 30 percent decline in demand for processed frac sand.

Text over image reads Grateful for members like you! Make your 2025 tax-deductible gift before Dec. 31. Red button below says Donate Now. Background shows a pomegranate and nuts.

Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2025, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.

Related Stories