TOWN OF CLIFTON, New York (WWNY) - A new market for old stone in St. Lawrence County comes as an old rail line is up and running for the first time in 50 years.

Benson Mines in the town of Clifton opened in 1883 to mine iron ore, but it stopped in 1977. During decades of excavation efforts, however, stockpiles of stone grew as a byproduct.

“We have 75 million tons of quarried waste rock that’s sitting on our property in addition to 100 million tons of tailings sand that can be used for concrete and other manufacturing purposes,” said Stuart Carlisle, president of Benson Mines.

After years of searching, the stone will have a new home.

In partnership with Astro Aggregates, they recently completed a trial run that sent 500 tons of stone downstate to the metropolitan area. That will help b

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