Natural Sand in Korea - Quality Evaluation -

This study was conducted for evaluation the geological, physical, and chemical properties of domestic sand by analyzing about 4,800 quality data of natural sand from river and land area surveyed until 2023 through the aggregate resource survey conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.The average depth of the Quaternary unconsolidated sedimentary layer in Korea, which includes a sand layer, is about 10m (maximum depth 66m).The thickness of the sand layer within the sedimentary layer is most dominant in the range of 0.5m to 4.0m.This accounts for about 70% of the entire sand layer.In the sand layer, the ratio of sand, gravel, and clay is 60:20:10.Regardless of the provenance or geology, the sand is mainly composed of quartz, plagioclase, and K-feldspar, and the minor minerals are muscovite, biotite, chlorite, magnetite, epidote.The sand includes in 45~75% of quartz, 5~20% of plagioclase and K-feldspar, each other.And other minor minerals are included in 10%.The average grain size of sand is 0.5mm to 1.0mm, which accounts for 44% of sand samples.The water absorption rate and soundness are estimated to be suitable for aggregate quality standard in almost all sand, and the absolute dry density is suitable for 66%.