Development of alternative materials in construction

Artificial sand production line of Hoang Tuan Company Limited in Tong Son commune.

According to the report of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, there are currently 29 licensed sand mines in the province with a total reserve of 10.4 million m3, but only 3 mines are currently operating with a total capacity of 95,000 m3/year. While the demand for sand in 2025 is estimated at 5.49 million m3, there is a shortage of about 4.706 million m3. It is forecasted that in the period 2026-2030, the demand will be more than 38 million m3, while the total natural sand reserves according to the plan until 2030 will only reach about 18 million m3, with the actual exploitation capacity of less than 14 million m3, meaning that it will only meet less than 40% of the demand. Artificial sand will be the solution to the above problem.

Green solutions for the construction industry

Artificial sand is produced from natural stone materials, has special properties such as more uniform grains, can adjust the module and grain composition ratio according to the requirements of each mix for different types of concrete. Artificial sand also allows saving cement, asphalt, shortening construction time and increasing the life of the project. Besides the technical factor, the use of artificial sand also brings clear economic efficiency when the price is currently about 16 - 18% lower than natural sand.

Many businesses have pioneered the application of new technology, investing in modern machinery and equipment to produce artificial sand. This activity helps reduce pressure on natural sand resources, ensuring stability in the supply of raw materials for the construction market.

Phu Son Trading Company Limited (Nga An Commune) is one of the pioneers in this field with a stone crushing system with a capacity of 100,000m3/year. Thanks to that, the company has created clean, high-quality sand products at competitive prices. Mr. Mai The Tinh, Director of Phu Son Trading Company Limited, shared: “The quality of artificial sand meets technical standards. In some categories related to grain uniformity or compressive strength, this material is also very stable. Currently, the selling price of crushed sand is 350,000 VND/m3, while natural sand is 550,000 VND/m3 but sometimes it is not available to buy”.

Since 2019, Hoang Tuan Company Limited has invested in an artificial sand production line from stone materials to create high-quality clean sand products in Tong Son commune. The line applies Japanese technology, with a total investment capital of nearly 20 billion VND and a capacity of 150,000 m3/year. Mr. Nguyen Duy No, director of the company, said: "The company's artificial sand has been used for many large projects such as roads and factory foundations. With difficulties in the supply of natural sand, we plan to double the capacity, estimated at about 300,000 m3/year".

Currently, 21 units in the province have invested in and installed additional crushed sand production lines at quarries, with a total designed capacity of about 2.03 million m3/year. In addition, there is a project in the process of investment implementation, with an expected capacity of about 0.18 million m3/year. The crushed sand source from these facilities is capable of replacing about 50 - 60% of the total natural sand output serving construction projects in the province.

Untangling the "bottleneck" for artificial sand

Although encouraged, it is not easy to widely use artificial sand in construction, and the consumption of this product is only limited to the internal level of enterprises.

Mr. Mai The Tinh, Director of Phu Son Trading Company Limited, said: “Obviously, artificial sand has many advantages in terms of technical quality and price, however, consumption demand is low due to consumer tastes and habits. We have enough conditions to increase production capacity but are still really concerned about the market.”

“To boost the consumption of artificial sand, it is necessary to increase propaganda and encourage investors and people to actively use crushed sand in the construction sector,” said Mr. Ngo Xuan Dong, Director of Nhan Nam Investment, Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company (Truong Lam commune).

In the province, there are currently about 170 limestone mines qualified to produce artificial crushed sand with a reserve of 600 million m3. Thus, in the context of increasingly depleted natural sand reserves and sand exploitation causing negative impacts on river and estuary systems, the research on production and use of artificial sand from crushed stone as construction materials is expected to be a solution that brings double value, with economic benefits and environmental protection.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Duc, Deputy Head of the Department of Economics and Construction Materials, Department of Construction, said: The province strives to use at least 40% of crushed sand and recycled sand from industrial waste by 2030. Speeding up the construction and installation of crushed sand and artificial sand production lines and projects to put them into operation soon is very necessary, helping to proactively source sand materials for the future.

To promote the production of artificial sand, the Provincial People's Council issued Resolution No. 20/2021/NQ-HDND on "Policy to encourage the development of science and technology to become a breakthrough in the socio-economic development of Thanh Hoa province in the period of 2021-2025". In this resolution, the province will support up to 30% of the total investment value, including: costs of purchasing machinery and equipment; technology transfer; training costs for organizations, households and individuals investing in artificial sand production lines with a capacity of 50 tons/hour or more. On January 23, 2025, the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee issued Official Dispatch No. 1191/UBND-CN on increasing the production and consumption of artificial crushed sand in the province. The province also encourages the use of crushed sand in projects funded by the state budget if it meets technical standards and is competitive in price. Along with that, the province aims to develop sand production areas associated with stone mines with convenient transportation, forming a closed supply chain from exploitation to consumption.

Article and photos: Anh Tuan

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/phat-trien-vat-lieu-thay-the-trong-xay-dung-258976.htm