Stone mineral resources are an important component of mineral resources and serve as a vital material foundation and support for economic and social development. Sand and gravel aggregates, produced by mining and processing stone mineral resources, are the most widely used, indispensable, and irreplaceable materials in infrastructure construction.

　　In recent years, as natural river sand resources have been depleted and various regions have introduced measures to ban the extraction of river sand, manufactured sand and gravel have emerged and are gradually replacing natural river sand. However, since sand and gravel aggregate mines operate through open-pit mining, they cause relatively direct disturbances to mountain ecosystems. “ Dominant ” Therefore, the general public holds a clear bias toward sand and gravel aggregate mines. Especially during environmental inspections and the “Blue Sky Defense Campaign,” some local governments... “ One-size-fits-all ” As soon as any issue arises, sand and gravel mining operations are promptly ordered to halt for rectification—and in even more extreme cases, some localities simply shut down sand and gravel mines altogether.

　　Especially recently, due to various reasons such as environmental protection, a nationwide trend has emerged. “ One grain of sand is hard to come by, and prices have skyrocketed. ” This situation has directly led to a significant increase in operating costs for concrete enterprises, and many construction projects have been affected in terms of schedule.

　　So, just how significant is the impact of mining and utilization of sand and gravel aggregates on the ecological environment, and can we achieve harmonious coexistence with ecological conservation? A reporter from the China Mining News Agency conducted a special investigation into this very question.

　　The status of sand and gravel is crucial.

　　Sand and gravel aggregates are the mineral resources with the largest production and consumption volumes in China, and they also serve as a crucial support for realizing the Chinese Dream and meeting the people’s aspirations for a better life. According to statistics from the China Sand and Gravel Association, in concrete structures, the use of... 1 tons of steel, required 6 tons of cement, 36 tonnes of sand and gravel aggregate; the amount of sand and gravel aggregate required per kilometer of highway is 5.46 Ten thousand tons—the average amount of sand and gravel aggregate used per kilometer of high-speed railway is 7 Ten thousand tons—almost the amount of sand and gravel aggregate used per square meter in construction. 1 tonnes. Currently, China’s annual production and sales of sand and gravel aggregates have reached 200 100 million tons.

　　Sand and gravel aggregates are closely intertwined with our daily lives. Whether it’s the construction of major national projects such as airports and high-speed railways, or local urban renewal initiatives, road and transportation infrastructure development, or improvements to residential housing—none of these would be possible without sand and gravel aggregates. It is precisely because of the support provided by sand and gravel aggregates that we can enjoy the conveniences brought by modern civilization without a care in the world: trains can speed along on high-speed railways, cars can zoom confidently on highways, people can revel in bustling cities, run freely on smooth roads, and savor the warmth of family life in cozy homes.

　　The sand and gravel used in the early stages were sourced from natural resources and represented a traditionally extensive, low-tech industry. However, given the significant impact of natural river sand mining on river safety and the ecological environment, in recent years, under the broader context of the nation’s ecological civilization development, China’s sand and gravel aggregate industry has undergone rapid transformation and upgrading. As a result, the manufactured sand and gravel industry has flourished and begun to replace natural river sand. According to rough estimates, currently, the production and consumption of manufactured sand and gravel in China already account for a substantial share of the total sand and gravel volume. 75% The above has become the primary source of sand and gravel used in infrastructure construction, including buildings, and has made a tremendous contribution to China’s infrastructure development.

　　The report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China pointed out that we must unswervingly implement the new development philosophy, firmly correct our development concepts, and transform our development approach, thereby continuously enhancing the quality and efficiency of development. Hu Youyi, President of the China Sand and Gravel Association, stated that infrastructure construction—including high-speed railways, highways, bridges, ports, and airports—is advancing rapidly. The achievements China has made in infrastructure development would have been impossible without the support of the sand and gravel aggregate industry. For China, sand and gravel aggregates are no longer merely critical resources related to national strategic security; they have also become essential resources for improving the livelihoods and well-being of the people.

　　Green development has become mainstream.

　　Economic development cannot do without the strong support of mineral resources, yet the exploitation of these resources inevitably disturbs the ecological environment. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized: “ In ecological and environmental protection, we must adopt a holistic, long-term, and comprehensive perspective. We must avoid sacrificing the big picture for minor gains, neglecting one aspect while overemphasizing another, living beyond our means, or pursuing short-term, quick-fix solutions at the expense of sustainability. ” How not to “ To lose one thing while gaining another. ” How can we achieve harmonious development between mining activities and the ecological environment? Building green mines and developing green mining is undoubtedly the best choice.

　　2011 Since [year], the former Ministry of Land and Resources has actively promoted pilot programs for green mines, selecting a total of national-level green mine pilot units in four batches. 661 The company has set an exemplary model for green mine development, playing a leading and guiding role. Green exploration and utilization, as well as green and harmonious development, have become a shared consensus within the mining industry. The successful experiences accumulated by the mining enterprises that initiated pilot programs not only serve as excellent examples and provide valuable references for other mines but also lay a solid foundation for institutional provision and standard-setting. 2018 Year 6 Issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Moon “ Standards for Green Mine Construction ” Industry standard, originally from 7 The number of industries has increased to 9 an industry, among which DZ/T 0316-2018 The “Norms for Green Mine Construction in the Sand and Gravel Industry” is one of the newly added standards, marking that China’s sand and gravel industry has entered a new phase in green mine construction. “ There are rules to follow. ” a new stage.

　　 “ The guiding principles for drafting the standards for green mine construction in the sand and gravel industry are centered on promoting the rational utilization of resources, energy conservation and emission reduction, ecological protection, and harmonious coexistence between mining activities and local communities. The ultimate goal is to achieve a coordinated integration of economic, ecological, and social benefits from resource development, thereby providing technical and managerial support for the advancement of green mining and the construction of green mines. ” Hu Youyi stated that by developing standards, we can fully mobilize the enthusiasm of mining enterprises, strengthen industry self-discipline, and enable these enterprises to transform external requirements—such as efficient resource utilization, environmental protection, and promoting harmony between mines and local communities—into internal driving forces for their own development. As a result, mining enterprises will consciously assume their corporate responsibilities in conserving and intensively using resources, reducing energy consumption and emissions, restoring the environment, reclaiming land, and boosting local economic and social development.

　　To steer the sand and gravel aggregate industry toward high-quality development, the China Sand and Gravel Association has kept pace with the times and successively put forward the following guiding principles: making good use of resources, emphasizing environmental protection, ensuring safe production, and pursuing harmonious development—developing while protecting and protecting while developing—in order to build a green industrial system for sand and gravel aggregates. These principles embody the industry’s commitment to innovative, scientific, and green development. At the same time, the Association has proposed specific production models and pathways for the industry’s green development, including building environmentally friendly sand and gravel aggregate plants, extending the sand and gravel aggregate industrial chain, establishing green building materials industrial parks, and constructing eco-industrial parks that take stone mining as their starting point.

　　Over the past several years, China’s sand and gravel industry has seen the emergence of a large number of exemplary green mines. The green mine construction model and experience of Huzhou Xinkaiyuan Crushed Stone Co., Ltd. serve as a national benchmark and have made it one of the first batch of national-level pilot green mine enterprises in China. Another example is Beijing Weike Metallurgical Co., Ltd., which utilizes waste rock and tailings from iron ore mining to produce sand and gravel aggregates, thereby maximizing resource utilization and virtually eliminating the need for further extraction of raw stone resources, thus protecting the ecological environment.

　　 “ Small and scattered ” This has been a long-standing bottleneck hindering the green development of China’s mining industry—and sand and gravel aggregate mines are no exception. In recent years, localities have successively shut down small-scale sand and gravel aggregate mines and have planned to establish a number of large-scale sand and gravel aggregate mines. Henan Province requires that the annual mining capacity of newly established construction stone mines must be no less than... 100 With annual mining capacities exceeding 10,000 tons, mines planned for exploitation around large and medium-sized cities have an annual mining scale of... 1000 Over 10,000 tons. Guangxi has taken the lead nationwide in issuing and implementing a development plan for sand and gravel aggregates, and has also set clear requirements for entry barriers.

　　 “ In recent years, governments across various regions have integrated and re-planned the distribution of stone resources within their jurisdictions, shutting down small-scale sand-and-gravel production enterprises and building large-scale ones. These large-scale enterprises ensure both the quality and quantity of sand and gravel aggregates needed for national infrastructure construction. This is a practical implementation of... ‘ Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. ’ The embodiment of the concept. ” Hu Youyi introduced that the completion and commissioning of a number of large-scale sand and gravel aggregate mines have provided abundant sand and gravel resources for urban infrastructure construction. This has effectively curbed illegal quarrying and unauthorized sand dredging in river channels, eliminated the ecological damage caused by illegal excavation and mining, and made significant contributions to the improvement of the ecological environment.

　　It’s worth noting that the service life of sand and gravel aggregate mines is shorter than that of other types of mines—ranging from as little as ten or eight years to as long as twenty or thirty years. Moreover, the mining and crushing processes involved are entirely physical operations. If extraction is carried out strictly according to the design plan and noise and dust control measures are properly implemented, these mines will have only a limited impact on the appearance of the surrounding mountains, with virtually no adverse effects on the local ecological environment. Most importantly, sand and gravel aggregate mines can fully implement simultaneous mining and remediation, and after closure, they can be easily restored and rehabilitated. In some cases, after ecological restoration, the vegetation coverage in these mines far exceeds their original state, resulting in an even better and superior ecological environment than before. “ Mine the Jinshan, and restore a landscape of green hills. ” The purpose of this.

　　Contribute to protecting the blue sky.

　　Sand and gravel aggregates are essential for infrastructure construction. “ Grain ” It is also an industry with strong regional characteristics. As a bulk commodity with low added value, the transportation of sand and gravel aggregates has become a critically important link. Since most sand and gravel aggregate mines lack access to railways and ports, the primary mode of transport is by truck—this directly determines that the sand and gravel aggregate industry is a... “ At the doorstep ” Business.

　　According to estimates, the sales radius for sand and gravel aggregates typically ranges from... 100 Within a kilometer, if the distance exceeds this range, sand and gravel aggregates will become significantly more expensive due to high transportation costs. In recent years, in some plain regions lacking sufficient stone resources and in areas where mining of sand and gravel aggregates is prohibited, these materials have even been sold at exorbitant prices. “ Coal price ” It’s still extremely difficult to secure even a single batch of materials, and many commercial concrete mixing plants are left with no supplies at all. As a result, construction on key projects and residential developments has had to come to a halt. Some contractors who previously signed engineering contracts now find themselves unable to recover their initial investments and are deeply in debt due to the sharp rise in the prices of sand and aggregate.

　　More importantly, planning and constructing sand and gravel aggregate mines nearby would also contribute to the battle for blue skies. According to calculations, when transporting sand and gravel based on standard load capacities, 100 Fuel consumption per ton-kilometer 2.5 kilograms. If a city consumes sand and gravel annually... 7000 Around 10,000 tons, depending on the transportation distance. 100 Kilometer ~200 Calculated in kilometers, the diesel consumed annually just for transporting sand and gravel reaches... 17.5 Ten thousand tons ~35 Tens of thousands of tons—this will lead to a sharp increase in smog. However, if production is developed and carried out locally, with shorter transportation distances, atmospheric pollution can be effectively reduced.

　　Last winter, in a certain region engaged in the battle to protect blue skies, all sand-and-gravel mines within its jurisdiction were ordered to suspend operations for several months, citing excessive dust emissions and environmental pollution caused by these mines. Since construction projects couldn't afford any delays and the local area lacked sufficient sand and gravel supplies, many construction companies were forced to purchase sand and gravel from neighboring provinces to meet their urgent needs. One after another, large transport vehicles loaded with sand and gravel chugged steadily along the highways, belching black smoke as they headed toward the local area. Naturally, the local air quality suffered as a result.

　　 “ Sand and gravel production is a physical processing operation that primarily generates dust but does not produce pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, or carbon dioxide. When sand and gravel are transported from other regions, the main source of environmental pollution lies in the logistics and transportation process. Once the atmosphere becomes polluted, the surrounding ecological environment will suffer severe damage. Although this type of pollution is invisible, its impact is actually enormous, widespread, and long-lasting. ” Hu Youyi said that, on the other hand, if no cities were to open stone quarries, where would they obtain sand and gravel? Sand and gravel have a very limited transportation radius and are highly regionally specific products. Therefore, localities should plan and develop sand and gravel aggregate mines tailored to their specific conditions. This is also an objective necessity for reducing air pollution and improving the ecological environment.

　　Dedicate oneself to poverty alleviation.

　　The report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China stated: “ We are firmly committed to winning the battle against poverty and ensuring that impoverished populations and regions join the rest of the country in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. To achieve this goal, we must mobilize the entire Party, the whole nation, and all sectors of society, and adhere to targeted poverty alleviation and precise poverty reduction. ”

　　Only by adapting to local conditions, leveraging the region’s resource advantages, and supporting and developing a group of mining enterprises—thus transforming resource strengths into economic advantages and implementing ecological poverty alleviation—can we truly achieve our goals. “ Precise poverty alleviation ” To eradicate poverty at the root.

　　Many sand-and-gravel aggregate mines are located in impoverished mountainous regions. These mines have low technological content and set low standards for workers, making them an ideal source of employment for local villagers. During interviews, reporters from the China Mining News found that workers at sand-and-gravel aggregate mines all live within a distance of no more than [unspecified distance] from the mines. 10 Local villagers who live in poverty, lack specialized skills, and urgently need employment to lift themselves out of poverty.

　　It is worth noting that many sand and gravel aggregate mines, while fulfilling their environmental protection responsibilities, have also played a positive role in promoting the healthy, orderly, and sustainable development of local economies, contributing to the improvement of living and working conditions for villagers in mining areas and surrounding communities, and supporting local development efforts.

　　 “ Today, sand and gravel aggregate mines all demonstrate a strong sense of social responsibility, actively and proactively participating in various public welfare initiatives such as poverty alleviation, helping those in need, building schools, and repairing roads. Some even provide financial assistance to local impoverished college students; others regularly visit and offer comfort to impoverished households; and still others have established special poverty-fighting funds specifically to support local poverty alleviation efforts. These mines have made significant contributions to fostering harmonious relationships between mining operations and local communities and to achieving targeted poverty alleviation. ” Hu Youyi stated.