Where are aggregates used?

Aggregates are inert, granular materials made up of fragments of rock and sand. They are used in construction, in industry and in numerous other applications in day-to-day life.

In construction:

• Production of concrete for residential and other buildings, roads, bridges, tunnels, dams, airports, railway lines, harbours, etc
• Production of construction elements such as bricks, blocks, beams, kerbstones, pavements and piping
• Production of asphalt aggregates for street and road surfaces, car parks, pathways, etc.
• Direct use for bases, sub-bases, breakwaters, etc.

In industry:

• Manufacture of cement, lime, mortar and plaster
• Ceramics and glass production
• Manufacture of electronic components
• Steel: steel-making and casting mould manufacture
• Plastics
• Chemicals and pharmaceuticals
• Foodstuffs
• Livestock and arable farming
• Energy
• Papermaking
• Paint and detergent

Applications in day-to-day life:

• The average single-family residence contains between 100 and 300 tonnes of aggregate.
• 30,000 tonnes of aggregate are required for every kilometre of motorway.
• In toothpaste
• In the lenses of eyeglasses
• 20 kg of limestone are needed to manufacture 100 kg of sugar
• Aggregates are used in the production of bread, wine, beer, etc.
• Filtration of drinking water, treatment of waste water and neutralisation of acidic water
• Large quantities of aggregates are required to produce the electricity that reaches our homes.
• There are aggregates in the paper that we use every day. A tonne of paper contains around 300 kg of mineral load.
• Agricultural uses: soil correction, fertilisers, additives for animal feeds