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Concrete is typically made with local materials, because shipping them is rather expensive. Maybe that’s one reason?
by xyzzyz 5y ago
Concrete is typically made with local materials, because shipping them is rather expensive. Maybe that’s one reason?
- masklinn 5y ago> Concrete is typically made with local materials Not really, especially jot for large contructions. Not everybody has a few thousand to million tons of sands of the right composition in their backyard, and cement comes from a factory.
- xyzzyz 5y agoYes, and these factories are many, and are not concentrated in one place, because shipping cement is expensive. It’s the same with aggregate: not everyone has sand in their backyard, but there typically is good amount of suitable sand within a few dozen miles.
- eru 5y agoIt's even more interesting that than! There's actually plenty of drama around sand for concrete. There's talks about 'sand mafias' in India. And Malaysia has banned exporting sand to Singapore. See eg https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191108-why-the-world-is-running-out-of-sand https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191108-why-the-world-is...
- jacquesm 5y agoSimilar stuff has happened in Germany, in fairly recent times. You could make your own cement, no problem. But good luck trying to unload it anywhere in Germany without paying a fee to certain individuals.