I am starting two quarries next year for tufa and travertine

I am starting two quarries next year for tufa and travertine. Tufa is a very porous form of calcium carbonate deposited from a cold spring.

It is soft and can be easily worked (drilled, carved, cut, etc.) .I plan to sell mostly to rock garden enthusiasts as the plants will root into the tufa and the tufa will absorb and hold water. BUT....along with the tufa , I have an area of very porous aragonite.

It is hard and dense. It would not break down in water. Is it not the same thing as a coral reef?

It is 95% CaCO3 (50% CaO), very porous. I've heard that some people use it in aquariums to help bring the ph up (ie more basic).

I have lots of this stuff and could ship it via rail anywhere in N.America for $160/ton FOB Canal Flats, B.C., Canada. (4 hr drive north of Spokane, Wa.)  What thinkest thou?

Your idea sounds interesting and I would venture some hobbyists would be interested in the material Briefly, some ideas

Aragonite and tuffa are both used in reef aquariums
Aragonite for a substrate (sand type base) which will release calcium and help insure a high pH
Tuffa, would be used in place of or addition to live rock
In the US aragonite is sold for aprox $25 for 40 lbs (Caribsea sea floor)
Im not sure about tuffa

Some concerns

People in the reef hobby would need to be assured of the chemical makeup of each.
You would want to be sure there are absolutely *no* contaminates or metals in the material, you would most likely need some sort of chemical composite verification from a lab

I would also guess that in the long run your overall cost aprox 160 per ton is way to low. You can be competitive ... but realistic. Shipping is the real issue as that's where most of the cost would be.

I would suggest a website that illustrates your material and try to associate yourself with people (Companies) who would purchase larger quantities

I just don't think its going to be practical selling directly to the hobbyist (due to shipping costs)

Best Regards
Robert