Why are sand and gravel so important?
The Lands ands Minerals Aggregate Resources group acts as a kind of “protector” for sand and gravel resources in the State of Minnesota. You might think that sand and gravel don’t need protecting, but they are valuable resources and are used in a variety of ways. For example, sand is mixed with salt and spread on icy roads during the winter, melting the ice and providing traction. Another use is found in concrete. Concrete is largely made up of sand and gravel and is used to make roads, buildings, bridges, and highways. These products are used by Minnesotans every day. In fact, every person in the state, just by driving on roads and walking into concrete buildings, uses approximately 58 pounds of sand and gravel per day. Much of the construction of roads and buildings takes place in the Twin Cities Metro area. Unfortunately, most of the land containing the sand and gravel deposits in metro area have been developed which precludes mining. This requires sand and gravel to be shipped in f
