Our Story

Coal Mine Methane

In 2018, a group of concerned stakeholders began discussing what to do about methane leaks in Colorado’s North Fork Valley. Coal mines have operated in this region since the 1890s. As is the case with many coal deposits, coal from these mines is saturated with methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. Methane is naturally present in coal and leaks naturally. To prevent underground fires, methane is vented during mining, and the venting continues long after mine closures. The climate impact of vented methane is 84 times that of carbon dioxide. It’s a major source of air pollution—but it’s also a usable energy resource. The North Fork Valley Coal Mine Methane Working Group began brainstorming potential uses for this methane.

Reservoir Mud

Ideas for this abundant source of energy included large-scale crypto mining, diamond manufacturing and a massive pizza oven. But one idea stood out as both practical and economically feasible. Just up the road from the coal mines is Paonia Reservoir, another site with a problem to address. Sediment from Muddy Creek has accumulated in the reservoir over decades and caused significant loss in storage capacity. For a community that’s increasingly reliant on agriculture, the reservoir is a critical water source for irrigation in a dry western climate. This mud turned out to be high-quality clay that can be used for ceramics. Testing began for building materials including bricks, pavers and tile.

Building Materials from Waste

Delta Brick & Climate Company makes 100% of our products from clay sediment that we remove from Paonia Reservoir. We currently fire our kilns with standard gas and electric heat as we pursue potential sites for methane capture and utilization. The business takes its name from Delta Brick & Tile Company which operated in Delta County from 1905 to 1958 and produced many of the bricks that are seen in the region’s buildings today. In March of 2022 we launched Particular Tile, our sister brand focused on custom clay tile. All of our products are made at our factory in Montrose, Colorado.

Founding & Funding

Delta Brick & Climate Company was started by Christopher Caskey, a scientist and entrepreneur who is passionate about energy and climate change. He is the managing director of MethaneRx and previous positions include research assistant professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, materials science consultant and mountaineering guide. He is a board member of the Colorado Electric Transmission Authority and previous board chair of the Western Slope Conservation Center.

Delta Brick & Climate Company has received grant funding from Delta County, Gunnison County, State of Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Colorado Water Conservation Board and Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment with additional support from the Telluride Regional Loan Fund, Kenneth King Foundation and Greenline Ventures. The company also completed the ICELab accelerator at Western Colorado University in Gunnison.