Manufactured sand — or m-sand — has disrupted the manufacturing industry by providing a feasible alternative to traditional mining methods. What benefits can industrial professionals expect when exploring the possibilities of this increasingly popular and relevant material?
Curbing of Illegal Activities
Some people miscategorize sand, believing it to be a virtually infinite resource. However, the world’s intensive usage of this resource has caused steady depletion. Additionally, traditional mining methods are environmentally disruptive and sometimes conducive to illegal practices.
A 2023 study from European Union researchers shed light on the issue, clarifying that the EU has numerous stringent regulations stipulating the permissible activities for all mining types and requires site suitability assessments. However, they explained that regions with looser regulatory frameworks may allow illegality to flourish. So-called “sand mafias” promote and protect law-breaking mining and trading practices in those areas.
The researchers advocate for improved global policies, noting that sand mining in specific areas can affect ecosystems and coastal communities downstream.
They also noted how progress requires an integrated approach with cooperation between numerous groups. Although offshore regulators may finalize proposed policies, parties such as residents and river preservation groups also have valuable input to account for when making improvements.
Transitioning to manufactured sand is not an instant or all-encompassing fix. However, it is a viable alternative to the current approaches that may allow perpetrators to skirt existing laws and capitalize on exploitative tactics.
Alignment With a Greener Future
As manufacturers learn more about sand scarcity, many will want to know how to continue current practices without exacerbating the problem. Sand is essential for many industries, including construction and steelmaking. However, a significant mismatch between availability and usage creates ongoing complications. The world consumes approximately 50 billion tons every year, twice the amount produced by river sediment movement.
Ongoing resource depletion goes against many companies’ sustainability aims, but that is not the only environment-damaging aspect. Sandpits are often in remote locations, so transporting loads to the clients who buy them raises vehicle-related emissions and fuel costs.
Producers establishing manufactured sand facilities can conduct extensive market research to place locations as close as possible to the customers using the material. Additionally, sand manufacturing may enable additional control over specific process steps, helping companies achieve marketplace dominance by catering to customer needs.
One example gaining momentum in Turkey is a sand-washing system used at 19 plants across the country. It allows m-sand manufacturers to consistently meet their clients’ specifications, including for high-value projects.
Leaders from sand-dependent companies will be more open to making a sustainable transition when they realize it is possible to get manufactured varieties that are as good or better than what is naturally available. Additionally, as more m-sand producers open new factories, the supply chain emissions should gradually decrease because of the shorter distances between the customers and the source.
The Pursuit of Sustainable Innovation
Manufactured sand could also support waste-reduction initiatives, simultaneously keeping products out of landfills and potentially giving people new revenue streams. These promising options have some challenges, although professionals are exploring ways to overcome them.
A team of university researchers hoped to address the durability issues surrounding efforts to use glass aggregates and recycled concrete as a mined-sand alternative for new concrete. An adverse alkali-silica reaction can reduce the performance of materials made with construction waste aggregates. However, they determined that using fly ash and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) as binder materials mitigates the unwanted effects.
Experiments indicated that combining 30% fly ash with 20% GGBS significantly improved the usability of aggregate concrete made from glass sand. That blend gave the sustainable material compressive and flexural strength similar to conventional options. However, the group confirmed that succeeding requires striking a delicate balance. Raising the GGBS content weakened the concrete and increased its water absorption.
Further efforts like this one could encourage people to continue exploring creative ways to use construction waste. Finding the most viable options encourages individuals to send construction waste through channels that support sustainability. It also enables economic gains for parties with consistently large or frequent quantities of suitable materials that individuals ordinarily discard.
Manufactured Sand Supports a More Responsible Future
Sustainable, industrial-level actions require participants to remain open to doing things differently and exploring new methods. The world is unlikely to significantly reduce its sand dependence anytime soon, necessitating other possibilities. Those described here show much to anticipate regarding this pertinent topic.
