A Description Of Riverside Sand And Gravel Products And Services

Throughout the United States and the rest of the world, there are many companies whose main purpose is to provide sand and gravel to businesses and homeowners in the local area. One or more quarries are the source of base material and the products are transported to a central location, such as the Riverside sand and gravel firm. An S&G firm is highly capital-intensive, since heavy equipment of various types is required to remove the raw material from the ground and load it into trucks or other vehicles. At the central facility, there is need for additional equipment to clean, size and store the product. Usually delivery trucks are necessary to get retail products to the consumers.

Sands are graded by color, size and purpose. The particles can range in color from white to dark. They can be coarse or as fine as sugar. Some labels which have been attached to various grades include "remix", "crushed limestone", "concrete", "white brick", "mason" and "cushion sand".

Size is the main consideration when deciding on gravel products. It can be as small as particles and up to more than two inches in size. Part of the work done at the S&G facility is to sort the materials by size. Screens can be utilized to sort materials. Once the fragments are a fairly uniform size, they are stored in graded bins or areas so they can be easily accessed.

There are many uses for the rock particles. Many areas in the United States and the rest of the world as well use the small rocks as the coating for roadways. The surface may be periodically covered with a layer of small rock fragments, especially in rural areas. Grooming of road surfaces is a matter of running a road grader with a blade to move the fragments into a more even layer.

Another major purpose for the materials is in the manufacture of concrete. The raw concrete is carried by facility trucks to the area where customers have a need. Large or small construction projects can have delivery of the materials where it is offloaded and smoothed.

Sand and gravel plants are typically highly regulated. They may be restricted in the location of the quarry, or the processing and storage areas. S&G plants often are not allowed to build in or near a residential or recreational area. This is due in part to the noise of the equipment. There may also be issues with dust and particulates due to rock crushing equipment and activities.

The location of the quarries is an issue to humans who live nearby, but it can also affect the wildlife in the area. There may be limited hours of operation to reduce noise stress for birds and animals. Pollution of nearby water is another consideration.

Delivery of products is another part of the services provided by an S&G company. Rock particles are heavy. Even a single cubic yard can weigh 3K pounds. The customer might need three yards, five yards or even more, depending upon the size of the project.