M-Sand Projects

In Context 

• Coal India Ltd to launch M-Sand Projects.

About the projects  

• Need:  Due to high demand, regulated supply, and a complete ban on sand mining during monsoon to protect the river ecosystem, finding alternatives to river sand became necessary.
• Overview: Sand Mining Framework (2018) prepared by the Ministry of Mines envisages alternative sources of sand in the form of Manufactured Sand (M-Sand) from crushed rock fines (crusher dust), and sand from Overburden (OB) of coal mines.
  • Coal India Ltd (CIL) has envisaged processing the overburden rocks for sand production in mines where OB material contains about 60% sandstone by volume which is harnessed through crushing and processing of Overburden.

• OB to M-Sand initiative of CIL is facilitating the processing of waste overburden in its OC Mines. 

• Benefits: Manufactured Sand (M-Sand) from the overburden of coal mines has several benefits in terms of economy and environmental sustainability, including

• Cost-effectiveness: Using manufactured sand can be more cost-effective than using natural sand, as it can be produced in large quantities at a lower cost.
• Consistency: Manufactured sand can have a consistent grain size and shape, which can be beneficial for construction projects that require a specific type of sand.
• Environmental benefits: Using manufactured sand can help to reduce the need for mining natural sand, which can have negative environmental impacts. 
• Reduced water consumption: Using manufactured sand can help to reduce the amount of water required for construction projects, as it does not require washing before use.
• Better workability: Manufactured sand is more angular and has a rougher surface, which makes it more workable for construction projects.
• Commercial sale of produced sand can generate additional revenue for coal companies
• Lesser Sand extraction from the river will reduce erosion of channel beds & banks and protect water habitat