At Last - Using Desert Sand for Concrete - Big Savings

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-scientists-ecofriendly-bricks-sand-carbon.html

"In this study, we produced bricks using UAE desert sand combined
with alkali-activated binders, a promising alternative to
traditional Portland cement that can incorporate industrial
by-products such as blast-furnace slag and fly ash," said
Mohamad Arab, Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at the
University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He explained that these binders rely on alkaline solutions
"to trigger chemical reactions that form strong, rock-like
binding phases." Importantly, the bricks "were cured under
ambient temperature," the advantage that makes them
commercially feasible, contrary to "similar systems that
require heat curing," a process that increases costs and
energy consumption.

. . .

   Desert sand typically has odd chemistry, but it
   also has very rounded-off edges due to blowing
   around for millenia. White quartz sand binds
   much better - but there's only just so much of
   it easy to get at.

   This new process has created a sort of etchant
   'glue' that makes desert sand as viable as any
   other kind. Large areas of the world are deserts.

   Do note that the ancient Roman concrete is superior
   to Portland-based concrete. The main secret was using
   volcanic ash or pumice - makes the chemistry much
   better, the stuff can hold up for thousands of years.

   I did come across one company that sells pumice-
   based concrete in the USA. 'Coal ash' is also
   pretty much as good as volcanic ash - and while
   there is a lot of it the supply is not infinite.