How sand is extracted. Methods for extracting quarry sand. Methods for extracting sea and river sand

Sand is a finely fragmented fraction of rocks. It is formed naturally under the influence of long-term natural factors or is obtained artificially. And a dredger helps to extract it.

Sand is an essential material used in many industries.

It is a component of cement mortars and concretes in the production of building materials and the construction of buildings and structures, and a necessary component in road construction.

Sand is the main raw material in the production of glass and ceramics, and is part of molding sands in foundries.

Sand lies at the bottom of bodies of water, from oceans and seas to rivers and streams; it makes up a considerable part of the planet’s land subsoil.

Industrial sand extraction is carried out both by enterprises specializing in this activity and by large construction companies for production needs. Associated extraction of gravel, sand and clay is carried out by many mining enterprises.

Sand extraction methods

Sand is part of the subsoil, so to extract it it is not enough to buy a dump truck and an excavator or dredger; a license for the right to use subsoil is required separately for each object. Otherwise, such activity will be regarded as illegal sand mining.

Only enterprises doing this within the boundaries of a mining or geological land allotment are not required to obtain a license. Owners of household plots and garden plots are allowed to mine gravel, sand and clay on their plots; no license required.

Extraction of washed sand by excavator

Sand is extracted in several ways, for this they use:

Mining enterprises that extract waste rock along with ore often produce crushed stone. The installations used for this (crushing and screening complexes) also separate out the fine fraction – sand.

Gold mining enterprises and artels developing placer deposits of gold-bearing sands simultaneously sell that part of the sand that does not contain the precious metal.

Dry quarry method

Deposit development begins with stripping operations. Trees and shrubs are cut down, and the fertile soil layer (overburden) and waste rock are removed down to the sand layer using bulldozers or front-end loaders. Work in the quarry is carried out according to a design that provides for convenient and safe work. Alternating layers of sand and waste rock are removed by excavators and transported separately.

Quarry method of sand extraction

To extract sand in quarries, two excavation methods are used:

• top excavation, when from the upper platform an excavator equipped with a dragline scoops up material from below, lifts it up and loads it into a vehicle;
• bottom notch; An excavator or loader is located at the bottom level of the quarry and loads the material into a vehicle descending along the ring road.

Hydromechanical method

It is used when there is a reservoir near the field for water intake and discharge. In this case, the license for the right to use subsoil must be supplemented by the execution of a decision on the right to use the water body.

Instead of drilling and blasting operations and excavators, erosion of the rock mass with a high-pressure water jet is used. Water supply for erosion is carried out by a high-pressure pump through a hose connected to the monitor. A hydraulic monitor is a nozzle installed on a frame to which water is supplied. The operator sets the direction of the jet by turning the monitor using the handles.

Water mixed with sand (pulp) is moved by gravity or sand pumps to settling tanks (hydraulic dumps), where it settles. The water is returned to the reservoir, the sand is dehydrated and dried.

This method of excavation is the most productive. During the extraction process, sand is well washed to remove clay inclusions and has increased value.

Extraction of river sand

Dry river beds are most convenient for sand dredging. Loading and transportation are required, as well as finishing operations - washing of silt and foreign matter and dewatering. The need for a license for sand mining remains.

Extraction of river sand

In reservoirs, sand is extracted using a dredger - a specially designed vessel. There are several types of dredgers for extracting sands of varying hardness; The extraction of sand from the bottom of reservoirs is carried out mainly by suction dredgers, and only for the most compacted ones are scoops used. To accumulate the extracted sand, the hold of a dredger or a barge is used.

A suction dredger uses a wear-resistant pump to suck sand from the bottom of a reservoir and load it onto a barge or into its hold. A scoop dredger performs the same function with scoops in harder sands.

After the hold or barge is filled with material, the ship moves to a riverside warehouse and the sand is transferred to storage compartments or vehicles. For reloading from the hold of a dredger or from a barge, portal cranes with grabs or conveyors are used.

On the shore, the sand is washed to remove silt and shells, then dried to the required humidity.

Artificial sand

Sand is a sedimentary rock, as well as an artificial material consisting of rock grains

Natural sand is, in principle, a finite resource, although it will last on the planet for a long time. However, it is possible to replace natural sand with artificial sand.

We are talking about the most massive industrial waste in terms of quantity - wet concentration waste (tailings) and slag from metallurgical production.

Ore enrichment tailings, stored in huge quantities, do not require any processing for use instead of sand; only the same operations are needed as with sand in dry river beds. Flooded storage facilities can be processed by a dredger.

Regarding slags, it is necessary to expand and improve the processes of their processing when released from metallurgical units. Their water and air granulation in molten form will make it possible to obtain particles with a size and hardness that do not differ from the properties of natural sand.

Video: Sand extraction with a submersible pump

In this article:

Sand is one of the most popular building materials. Since people use it in economic and construction activities. But, despite the fact that sand literally lies under our feet, the extraction of this mineral in industrial quantities is not an easy task, which requires knowledge of technology and huge financial investments. Therefore, next we will look at how to organize an enterprise for the extraction and production of sand?

How to register sand mining?

In order for sand mining activities to be legal, it is necessary to formalize the quarry and register the enterprise.

It is better to register a company as an LLC using a simplified taxation system. Next, you need to obtain the right to use the quarry and obtain a license.

This license is valid for 5 years, but can then be extended.

In the process of legalizing a business, you may need the following: OKVED codes and regulatory documents:

• 14.21 – “Development of sand and gravel quarries”;
• 14.22 – “Extraction of kaolin and clay.”
• GOST 8736-93 – “Construction sand. THAT";
• GOST 4417-75 – “Quartz sand for welding work.”

Sand mining technology

The choice of sand extraction technology depends on the origin of the building material - quarry, sea or river. Sand extraction can be done using the following methods:

• open,
• closed.

Open pit sand mining

Open pit sand mining is more common. This technology uses scrapers, dump trucks, excavators, aerial ropeways and other equipment. Deposits of non-metallic minerals are usually hidden under layers of soil and clay rocks. They are called overburdens.

Before sand mining begins, scrapers and bulldozers carry out stripping operations. This helps prevent various impurities from getting into the sand. The ratio of the volume of the rock layer to the total volume of minerals is called the stripping ratio. The next operation is to lay trenches for working benches and transport routes. The height of the ledge is determined technical characteristics excavator.

Typically, a single-bucket or multi-bucket excavator is used to extract sand. The bucket volume of this special equipment varies from 0.25 to 15 m 3 .

The sand that is mined by this method is usually yellow-orange in color and is not the best in its properties. Therefore, it is subsequently cleaned, after which the material can be used in the preparation of plaster and masonry mortars, and in the production of bricks.

Technology of sand extraction using a closed (hydromechanized) method

Sand is extracted from the bottom of reservoirs using a hydromechanized method. To develop underwater deposits, dredgers or floating installations are used. They look like a pontoon that is fixed and moved using anchors, cables and piling devices. This equipment houses a dredger - the most powerful pump. A mechanical ripper and dredger are lowered to the bottom of the reservoir. These devices work together, and loosened sand is sucked into the pipe and then moved in the form of a hydraulic mixture along a floating slurry pipeline, which consists of pipe links and floats.

Finally, the slurry (a mixture of sand and water) is placed in hydraulic dumps, from where the water flows back into the reservoir. Simultaneously with this operation, the mineral is washed from clay and dust impurities.

Business plan for quarrying and sand extraction

Objective of the project– extraction of different-grained quartz sand from a deposit (quarry) and its sale in the territory Russian Federation.

It is planned that the development of deposits at the enterprise will be carried out using open-pit methods. Favorable mining and geological conditions allow stripping operations to be carried out simultaneously with mining. The average height of benches for a quartz sand deposit is 5 meters - 1 bench, and the maximum angle of repose is 35-40°.

In quartz sand deposits, water can be cut to a depth of about 8 meters. The water flow is not significant, at which all work can be carried out without pumping. Capital costs for sand mining

Equipment purchase costs

1. Excavator “Hyundai R220LC-9S” (made in Korea).

Specifications:

• power - 194 kW/263 hp;
• bucket volume – 1.43 m3;
• digging depth – 6,440 mm.

The price of the excavator is 5,744,681 rubles.

2. Loader “SEM 639 B”, 1.7 m 3.

• Bucket volume – 3.0 m3;
• Engine power - 162/220 kW/hp;

The price of the loader is 1,468,085 rubles.

3. KrAZ dump truck – 6510.

Specifications:

• Load capacity – 18,000 kg;
• Platform volume – 12 m3.

The price of the car is 2,648,936 rubles.

4. Insulated trailer. Price – 478,723 rubles.

5. Walkie-talkies. Price – 24,468 rubles.

6. Fire shield. Price – 8,511 rubles.

7. 200 liter fuel tanks. Price – 28,723 rubles;

8. Oil tank 200 liters. Price – 9,574 rubles;

9. Diesel heater. Price – 4,255 rubles;

10. Gas stove. Price – 7,447 rubles;

11. Gas cylinder. Price – 3,191 rubles;

12. Drinking tanks. Price – 5,106 rubles;

13. Diesel generator for a trailer. Price – 350,000 rubles;

14. Tables. Price – 4,255 rubles;

15. Chairs. Price – 2,128 rubles;

16. Refrigerator. Price – 5,318 rubles.

Total capital costs: – 10,799,401 rubles.

Costs of renting equipment from Europe for transporting goods (per year):

• Tractor "Volvo" (7 pcs.). Price – 24,592,340 rubles;
• Tipper semi-trailer "Schwarzmuller" (7 pcs.).

Specifications:

• Payload – 33 tons;
• Own weight - 9.2 tons.

Price – 10,876,882 rubles;

Installation of hydraulic units (7 pcs.) – 1,000,851 rubles;

Customs operations – 2,861,150 rubles;

Delivery costs – 1,340,425 rubles.

Total: 40,671,648 rubles.

Payroll costs for production personnel at a mineral deposit

Foreman (1 person) – monthly salary – 31,915 rubles; per year - 382,980 rubles.

Excavator operator (2 people) – monthly salary – 80,064 rubles; per year – 960,768 rubles;

Forklift driver (1 person) – monthly salary – 30,532 rubles; per year – 366,384 rubles.

KrAZ driver (1 person) – monthly salary – 42,553 rubles; per year – 510,636 rubles.

Accountant (1 person) – monthly salary – 20,766 rubles; per year – 249,192 rubles.

Watchman (2 people) – monthly salary – 34,021 rubles; per year - 408,252 rubles.

Cook (1 person) – monthly salary – 20,766 rubles; per year – 249,192 rubles.

Total fund wages for the year will be 3,127,404 rubles

Quarry development costs

Fire extinguisher (3 pcs.) – 4,468 rubles;

Refilling a gas cylinder – 5,957 rubles;

Construction helmets (3 pcs.) – 2,553 rubles;

Golitsy (10 pairs) – 1064 rubles;

Raincoats (3 pcs.) – 2,872 rubles;

Construction shovels (5 pcs.) – 1,277 rubles;

Lantern for a trailer (1 piece) – 2,128 rubles;

Overalls and shoes for 5 people – 53,191 rubles;

Ax (2 pcs.) – 1,702 rubles;

Hammers (3 pcs.) – 702 rubles;

Sledgehammer (3 pcs.) – 3,191 rubles;

Tongs (3 pcs.) – 638 rubles;

Screwdrivers (3 sets) – 2,128 rubles.

Wrenches (3 sets) – 15,957 rubles;

Pliers (5 pcs.) – 532 rubles;

Carrying bags (3 pcs.) – 511 rubles;

Dog (2 pcs.) – 6,383 rubles.

Total: 105,254 rubles.

Calculation of the cost of food for workers at the quarry

The cost of 1 lunch is 117 rubles;

Number of workers – 9 workers;

The cost of lunch per month is 22,117 rubles;

The cost of lunch per year is 265,404 rubles.

Other costs

The cost of feeding 2 dogs per year will be 61,277 rubles.

Rental costs (per year): house in a village near a quarry – 76,595 rubles;

Vacuum truck – 12,766 rubles;

Total: 89,361 rubles.

Advertising costs

• Rental of billboards (3 pcs.) – 38,298 rubles;
• Advertising in a newspaper – 5,106 rubles;
• Radio advertising – 10,638 rubles;

Total costs per month – 54,042 rubles;

Total per year – 108,084 rubles.

Indirect costs

• Diesel fuel consumption for maintaining a fleet of special equipment is 17 liters per year. The average cost of diesel fuel is 30 rubles/liter;
• The consumption of lubricants for the operation of auxiliary equipment is 3 thousand liters per year. The price of lubricants is 22 rubles/liter;
• Equipment utilization rate – 0.2;

Total costs for fuels and lubricants will be: (17,000 * 30 + 3000 * 22) * 0.2 = 115,200 rubles.

Costs of tax deduction for sand extraction

For the period from January 1 to December 31, 2013, the rate for sand extraction is 5.5%.

The total cost of paying the tax will be: 0.055 * 77,750,000 = 4,276,250 rubles.

Total costs for sand extraction are: 48,819,882 rubles.

Revenue

Annual volumes of quartz sand production:

• Fine-grained sand – 60,000 m3;
• Medium-grained sand – 70,000 m3;
• Coarse sand (screenings) – 80,000 m 3 ;
• High-fine sand – 45,000 m3.

Revenue for the year will be:

• From the sale of fine-grained sand (Price – 150 rubles/m3): 60,000 * 150 = 9,000,000 rubles.
• From the sale of medium-grained sand (Price - 300 rubles/m 3): 70,000 * 300 = 21,000,000 rubles;

Sand mining in a quarry has many nuances. Natural sand, mined in natural conditions, is rock with a loose structure. The mixture may include various grains of natural minerals. Different types of sand are successfully used for construction. In most cases, river or quarry is used, but the second type is in great demand due to its low price and good properties. To purchase the necessary high-quality material for construction, you will need to study all the main characteristics and types of quarry sand. And to find out how to open a sand mining business, you will need to familiarize yourself with the possible expenses and the list of necessary documents.

The main property of sand extracted from quarries is the absence of various impurities, as well as its maximum purity.

There are also a number of unchanged characteristics:

1. The fraction can vary in size from 1.5 to 5 mm.
2. Sand contains a small amount of dust, clay, and other impurities. This figure does not exceed 0.03%. If the value is exceeded, the quality of the composition deteriorates greatly and the material becomes unsuitable for construction needs.
3. The density of sand is 1.6 grams per cubic centimeter.

These are the main characteristics of quarry sand that you should pay special attention to when purchasing. Even minor changes can lead to major changes in the properties of the composition.

Quarry sand is divided into fine, coarse and medium fractions. This parameter should also be clarified upon purchase, since the diameter of the sand grains is very important during construction and mixing of cement composition.

The shades of the material can also vary greatly from each other and have a brown or amber-yellow color - depending on the quarry being mined, as well as the location of the deposit. This parameter must be taken into account only in the case of decorative sand treatment of some surface. During construction, the color indicator does not matter at all.

Varieties

Quarry sand is a unique material for construction needs, which can also be successfully used in industry and the national economy. Arrangement of a private territory or construction of a road surface - the material is of key importance in these processes. And this explains the increased demand for sand from the quarry.

Since mining sites can be located at a considerable distance from each other, the composition of the resulting material varies. For this reason, each type of sand has a different structure, composition, and grain size. To find out the final properties of sand, it is also necessary to study the methods of its extraction:

1. Screening.
2. Washing.
3. Open method.

All this will directly affect the type of material obtained.

According to the processing method that is used after obtaining the material, sand is divided into several varieties.

Alluvial

Alluvial sand is mined in quarries and other deposits using hydromechanical equipment. Using this technology, sand is obtained as clean as possible; it does not contain various impurities and other components harmful to the characteristics.

The equipment used makes it possible to immediately remove all unnecessary components during mining by leaching. That is why the method got its name - alluvial. This type of sand is the most appropriate for the production of bricks and concrete, and it is also often used in the construction of various types of premises, reinforced concrete products, and road construction.

Seeded

The name of the method speaks for itself. Screened sand is extracted using technical-mechanical screening, as a result of which the material is separated from large stones and particles. This method is considered quite simple. As a result, sand is used for making plaster or cement mortars, as well as for pouring cement.

This technique is also often used on private properties to separate large particles from the underlying sand material.

Sandy

Sandy sand is an unrefined mixture obtained from quarries. After mining, various components (impurities) remain in the sand, which are not removed during the process. The price for the material is the lowest, but the scope of use is limited, and therefore the material is not so widespread. Sand is used to fill the trench and level the terrain on the site. This variety is not suitable for more serious construction operations, since additional impurities greatly impair the characteristics.

Features of the mining process

The open-pit mining method is the most popular when construction companies bulldozers, excavators and other similar equipment are used. This method is the cheapest, but the disadvantage is that sand is not useful for all types of work.

Quarry sand mined in this way is mined in the upper layers of the soil, and therefore miners use the method of opening the top layer, and sometimes even explosives. The last nuance makes the business of extracting building materials dangerous.

There are times when the quarry is flooded with water. This situation should not stop miners, and special equipment has been developed to solve the problem. In this case, a dredging device is used, which is a powerful pump with which sand is extracted from the depths. Stability equipment is secured with anchors and powerful cables. You can also place it on board a specially equipped vessel. The sand that is sucked into the device is called pulp - it passes through the pulp channel, which is designed to filter out various harmful particles and impurities.

An important point is that after this process, the water returns to the quarry, and therefore there can be no talk of any drying. This method of extraction does not cause harm environment. This is a description of the hydromechanized method.

There are also other cases when more specific equipment is used. It is not used regularly. For example, builders can use special sieves to sift out large stones and other particles. Using this method, it takes much longer to extract sand - this is the reason for its unpopularity. An ordinary metal mesh is also used, through which the sand is sifted by the hands of workers.

When the development of a new quarry begins, construction companies prepare all calculations and document them, and also coordinate their activities with the state. Without the necessary official papers, it is impossible to obtain permission to mine sand.

Areas of application

Since quarry sand is of good quality and complies with certain GOST standards, it is often used in construction, decoration and agriculture. Sand is especially often used for making concrete and bricks, as well as for the construction of residential buildings and roads.

Alluvial sand, which has a large fraction, has become very popular in production good type concrete, as well as when creating reinforced concrete structures.

Quarrying sand is in demand because the materials are often used to build masonry, paving slabs and street curbs.

Since some types of sand do not contain impurities, they have good strength and will last for many years. For this reason, it is so important to study all the provided documentation and GOSTs before purchasing, otherwise there is a risk of purchasing low-quality material that will quickly fail.

For decorative purposes, sand is used in summer cottages or private buildings, and it is also used in children's playgrounds.

Sand mining business plan

Since sand mining in a quarry is a popular activity, many entrepreneurs want to start their own business with this activity. But extracting sand on an industrial scale is not an easy task. To open such a business, you need to have specific knowledge and also spend a lot of money. It is advisable to draw up a business plan in advance in order to calculate all the costs and know how to properly develop a quarry for sand extraction.

Registration of sand mining activities

To start your own business, you need to know how to register a quarry, and then register the enterprise in accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation. It is advisable to use an LLC based on the simplified tax system.

After this, the person receives the right to use the chosen quarry, according to the license. The license period will be approximately 5 years or slightly less, and after that the permit will need to be renewed.

Financial plan

To open a business, you need to take into account that large expenses will be required, including:

1. Buying an excavator. The cost will be approximately 1.5 million rubles.
2. A front loader costs about the same amount.
3. A dump truck costs 2.5 million rubles. The load capacity should be 18,000 kg.
4. A trailer for transporting the received material – 500,000 rubles.
5. Walkie-talkies for workers worth 25,000 rubles.
6. One fire shield – 8,000 rubles.
7. Tanks used for filling fuel with a volume of 200 liters cost 28,000 rubles.
8. Tank for filling oil - 9000 rubles.
9. One heater fueled with diesel fuel. Cost – 4000 rubles.
10. Gas stove – 7,000 rubles.
11. Gas cylinder – 3000 rubles.
12. Tank intended for filling drinking water– 5000 rubles.
13. A generator installed on a trailer filled with diesel fuel costs 350,000 rubles.
14. Desks for workers – 4,000 rubles.
15. Chairs for workers – 2000 rubles.
16. Refrigerator – 5000 rubles.

You will also need to spend additional money on liquids to refill the equipment. A business plan is used to calculate costs.

From all this we can conclude that the total cost will be approximately 10 million rubles.

Sand– one of the most common building materials. Sand mining is carried out in large volumes. In the Moscow region alone, it is produced in a volume of more than 5.5 million m3, taking into account the PGM. It is used in road works, construction of structures, production of reinforced concrete products and landscaping.
Sand mining organizations (companies) in the Moscow region offer a wide range of types of this material throughout the region. Thanks to this, any construction task can be accomplished.

What methods are used to extract sand?

In the Moscow region, the following extraction methods are used:

• open-pit sand mining. Quarry development is initiated using special equipment. Various technologies provide the opportunity to obtain ordinary quarry, alluvial and seeded sand. All these types are used in construction and other areas of human activity;
• extraction of river sand. This procedure allows you to obtain a material with a minimum impurity content. It is considered very pure. To accomplish this task, sand dredgers are used. They are immersed in water from special floating platforms, after which they begin to suck up material from the bottom. After this, the sand is transported to the place of drying and storage through communications laid in the ground.

Quarry sand

Sand mining in a quarry provides the opportunity to obtain one of the cheapest varieties of this material. Due to the high content of impurities (clay, plant residues and other biocomponents), it is used mainly in rough work.
To improve the quality of the extracted material, a sand quarry can be equipped with devices for washing and seeding. This material is more expensive, but it is cleaner and has a wide range of applications.
Shine cleaning involves passing through several sieves with different mesh sizes. As a result, most of the impurities are eliminated.
Alluvial technology involves processing large volumes of water. During the work, clay and other impurities are washed away. This process is similar to that which takes place at the bottom of rivers. But due to faster exposure, sand grains retain sharp edges and better adhesive properties.
Washed sand has the widest range of applications, but its cost will be higher, since the development and extraction of sand requires significant financial costs.

river sand

Reservoir beds are one of the best sources of sand. The grains of sand at the bottom are thoroughly treated with water. Most often, sand gets there from mountain peaks, where rocks are eroded. Since the route is quite long, the grains of sand roll around and become more rounded.
Such material is in demand during finishing finishing works. It is used in the process of organizing sandboxes and landscaping the territory.
Most often, mining is carried out in reservoirs construction sand. If necessary, it is divided into separate factions to accomplish different tasks.

Careers of the Moscow region

Sand mining in the Moscow region is carried out on an industrial scale. At the moment, there are more than 110 quarries (the figure is given without taking into account water deposits). In 2009, reserves of this material together with ASG were estimated at 2.1 billion m3. The main production (more than 95%) is carried out by the 10 most large companies. The rest comes from small organizations.
Most construction sand production sites are concentrated in the Voskresensky, Kashira, Naro-Fominsk and Ramensky districts. More than 50% of all proven reserves of PGM are located in the Ruza region.
On the territory of the Moscow Region, construction, river, hydraulic, as well as natural sand of classes I and II are mined. This is quite enough to meet the needs of the region. A significant part of the material is sold outside its borders.

Licensing

For the official extraction of quarry sand, a license is required. The process of obtaining this document takes place in several stages. First of all, you need to prove your organization’s ability to implement this task:

• preliminary estimate of subsoil reserves;
• obtain a drilling permit;
• prepare the material and raw material base and documents for participation in the auction to be won.

After this, sand mining sites are put on balance. A license is issued.