Artificial Sand Production: An Inevitable Trend in the Construction Industry

Faced with the increasingly scarce and tightened exploitation of natural sand, Artificial sand is becoming an inevitable trend in the construction materials industry.. Not only does it help reduce environmental impact, artificial sand also has stable quality, meeting strict technical standards. So what is artificial sand? What is the production process of artificial sand? Let's find out the details in the article below.

1. What is artificial sand?

Artificial sand (crushed sand, milled sand) is a material created by crushing natural stones such as granite, limestone, basalt, sandstone or from construction stone waste. Thanks to modern crushing technology, artificial sand Has uniform particle size and sharp edges, helping to increase adhesion in concrete and construction mortar.

2. Why is it necessary to develop artificial sand production?

2.1. Natural sand supply crisis

• Resource depletion: River sand and sea sand are being overexploited, leading to the risk of depletion and riverbank erosion.
• Environmental impact: Mining natural sand causes imbalance in the ecosystem, affecting water flow and groundwater.
• Tightening management: Many countries, including Vietnam, have adopted policies to restrict the exploitation of natural sand.

2.2. Artificial sand – sustainable solution

• Proactive supply: Enterprises can produce sand themselves at the construction site, saving on transportation costs.
• Uniform quality: Crushed sand has stable size, reduces cement loss, increases construction durability.
• Environmental protection: Minimize negative impacts from natural sand mining.

Faced with the reality of depleting natural sand resources, in April 2024, Nguyen Vinh Cooperate with Terex Group (USA) to organize a workshop to introduce solutions artificial sand productionThe event aims to introduce advanced crushing and washing technology and display the TC model artificial sand and stone crusher, aiming to replace natural sand in construction.

The conference took place in Hanoi from April 24 to 26, as part of the International Exhibition on Mining and Construction Technology in Vietnam.

3. Distinguish between artificial sand and natural sand

Characteristic	Artificial sand	Natural sand
Image
Source	Crushed from stone	Exploitation from rivers and seas
Particle shape	Angular, polyhedral	Round, smooth
Cleanliness	Low impurities, no mud	May contain impurities, silt
Environmental impact	Reduce river exploitation, protect ecology	Cause landslides, resource depletion
Application	Concrete, unburnt bricks, mortar	Mainly for concrete, backfill
Humidity	No humidity	Moisture always exists, so it affects the concrete mix design and concrete quality.
Particle composition	Particle size below 75 micron: 15% as per standard (IS: 383-1970)	Particle size below 75 micron: 3% as per standard (IS: 383-1970)
Weight	The specific gravity of crushed sand is approximately 2.73 (Depends on the original raw material rock.)	Of river sand approximately 2.65 (Depends on the rock in the mining basin.)
Impurities	Less impurities	High risk of contamination.
Proportion	Dry density of crushed sand 1.75 kg / m3	Of natural sand is 1.44 kg/m3

Note: Desert sand cannot be used for pouring concrete.

4. Artificial sand production technology

The production process consists of 3 main stages:

4.1. Grinding stage

• Jaw crusher: Handling of large sized input rocks.
• Cone crusher: Intermediate grinding to create suitable size.
• VSI sand mill: Creates round, even sand grains, optimal for concrete.

4.2. Screening stage

Vibrating screen system helps classify sand according to quality standards and separate impurities.

4.3. Washing stage

Modern sand washing technology helps remove mud and impurities, ensuring clean sand that meets construction standards.

5. Artificial sand making machine: Which is the optimal solution?

Currently, many companies provide modern sand crushing lines, of which the most prominent are:

• Terex (USA): VSI sand grinding technology, for uniform products, energy saving.
• Hosokawa Alpine (Germany): Superfine grinding line, suitable for ceramic industry, cement production.
• Manitou (France): Mobile, flexible crusher for large-scale construction.

Terex cone crusher model TC1300 displayed at the event. Imported and distributed in Vietnam by Nguyen Vinh since 2010. After more than 14 years, the TC cone model has now supplied more than 30 machines in Vietnam. Diverse crushing applications from crushing iron ore, copper ore, to processing construction stone, artificial sand.

The price of sand crushers ranges from several hundred million to tens of billions of dong, depending on capacity and level of automation.

6. Trends in using artificial sand in Vietnam

In recent years, the Vietnamese Government has encouraged the development of artificial sand through the following policies:

• Directive 38/CT-TTg on strengthening the management of sand and gravel resources.
• Decision 452/QD-TTg on promoting the use of alternative materials to natural sand.

Many large projects such as the North-South Expressway and Long Thanh Airport have switched to using artificial sand to ensure progress and quality.

7. Reputable supplier of artificial sand crushing lines

Nguyen Vinh New Technology Co., Ltd. is the official distributor of the world's leading crusher brands such as Terex, Hosokawa Alpine, Sullivan.

Nguyen Vinh Company specializes in providing crushing lines for minerals, construction materials, artificial sand, aggregate, 1-2 stone for highway, airport, port, hydropower projects. Depending on the specific requirements of the investor regarding crushing materials, input stone size, desired products, capacity and installation location, we will advise the optimal line at the best price. Nguyen Vinh has installed more than 35 mineral and construction material crushing stations with capacity from 150 tons/hour to 1500 tons/hour.

• More than 35 crushing stations installed nationwide.
• Production line capacity from 150 - 1500 tons/hour, suitable for all production scales.
• 24/7 Technical Support, ensure efficient operation.

📞 HOTLINE: 0936 307 866 – Contact now for detailed advice!

8. Conclusion

Artificial sand is not only an alternative to natural sand but also an inevitable trend in the modern construction industry. Investing in sand production lines helps businesses proactively manage supply sources, save costs, improve construction quality and contribute to environmental protection.

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