Industrial Sand

Did you know?

Silica most commonly exists in the form of quartz – the second most common mineral on the earth’s surface. It is hard, chemically inert and has a high melting point. These are prized qualities for many industrial applications.

Industrial Sand for industry closely resembles that found on the beaches of our coastline. Industrial Sand is an essential raw material that contributes so much to modern society. Wherever you go, you’re always close to products made from Industrial Sand.

Without Industrial Sand, there would be no glass, no ceramics (tableware, sanitary ware), no houses, no hospitals, no schools, no roads, cars or trains, no computers or televisions…

Industrial Sand is the principal component in glass making. Even though glass is recyclable, a supply of fresh Industrial Sand is still required when making new glass from old. It was originally the early Romans who developed a method of melting sand to produce glass.

Industrial Sand is a raw material that is used in tyre production to make tyres last longer and improve their performance.

Every road traffic cone uses Industrial Sand as ballast, to make sure that it stays in place on the road, keeping you safe in all weathers.

Industrial Sand is used as a raw material for road marking paints, to add abrasion resistance and improve the way that light is reflected.

Train operators use Industrial Sand to improve the traction of wheels on the rails. A small quantity of dry sand will stop the slipping of driving wheels on wet or oily tracks and can assist in starting a train under such conditions.

Roads: Mixed with rock salt, Industrial Sand improves traction (and thus traffic safety) in icy or snowy conditions.

Industrial Sand is used in football pitches and golf courses. Root zone sands ensure good drainage and stability while top dressings and sports turf sands improve the quality and durability of the playing surface.

Industrial Sand provided the playing surface for the volleyball pitches used during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Industrial Sand is used as a play material in schools and children’s playgrounds – in sand pits – and may also be coloured for use in children’s sand paintings.

Sand bags, made from Industrial Sand, protect people and their property against floods. The inexpensive bags are easy to transport when empty and unskilled volunteers can quickly fill them with local silica sand in emergencies.

Sand blasting - graded Industrial Sand serves as an abrasive in cleaning, preparing, and polishing.

The origins of SAMSA date back 165 years. The quarry site operated by Joseph Boam in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, in the 1860s is still operated by a SAMSA member company today!