Demolition of the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. plant is underway and an auction to sell off surplus equipment is set for the end of July.

Cliff Boyd, director of asset recovery for the demolition company Calbag, gave the public an update last week on the company’s progress as well as its future plans for tearing down the defunct plant. Crews have been cutting tons of steel from buildings and infrastructure with a 700-ton shearer that cuts the steel into pieces.

So far they’ve processed some 4,500 tons of steel. They’ve also done asbestos abatement in two other buildings in preparation for demolition.

The bulk of the plant will be torn down and scrapped. Steel rebar will be recycled from the concrete and the concrete will be recycled as well. When all is said and done, the recycled concrete will then be used to fill in the basement of the potlines.

The company did the same sort of work when it tore down the smelter in Dalles, Oregon.

When finished with demolition, the remains of the potlines at Dalles were just one large concrete pad and the same will be done at the CFAC site. He said a big box retail store had plans to build on the former site in Oregon.

The CFAC demolition will take years. The target is to have it done by December of 2107.

It’s a multi-million effort. There are currently 25 workers and seven security guards. The number of people working could ramp up to a 100 when demolition begins full scale.

Not all of the buildings will be demolished. Some of the warehouses will remain, as will the office building.

Boyd said about 250 people have already registered.