China builds with manufactured sand, easing worry about overmining and environmental cost : technology

[-] [email protected] 28 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

This is awesome! I've heard liberals talk about China's sand usage as part of their China-bad smearing without offering any solutions. Artificial sand from mine tailings (a waste product) has basically no downsides, since those tailings would be produced regardless.

[+] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

[deleted]

[-] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Sand for construction is a limited resource. Not every sand works to make concrete.

Generally, it has to be river sand, because sea sand has salt and must be washed, and open air sand is pulished by wind, making it worse for building.

[-] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago

Hmm, I was going to steal a bucket of beach sand for casting

[-] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

River sand is rougher, sea sand or desert sand is either too rough or almost polished round.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

It still works, it generally tends to crack more easily or damage steel bars due to salt.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

I will most likely wash it a bunch? THat's what the internet told me to do

[-] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Yeah, that works. Then again, China is kind of demonstrating that crushing rocks into sand also works.

So whatever pollutes less, I guess.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

My factory development level is unfortunately quite low

[-] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago

In India there are "sand mafia" who illegally dig up sand from river beds. It is profitable because it's used in construction so much.

[-] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago

This is the study the article references

[-] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Tbh, now they have to manufacture the artificial sand...

[-] [email protected] 23 points 10 months ago

Which they're doing, using a waste stream. I imagine the machinery is largely diesel at the momebt, but could be converted to electric in due time

[-] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Oho

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