# Silica sand: Emissions

Why drying dominates sand's small carbon footprint

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/emissions/

Why drying dominates sand's small carbon footprint What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint of the commodity at a global level, split by lifecycle phase: extraction (or farming), refining and processing, movement, usage, and recycling or end of life. Intensities are per unit of product; the global total combines intensity with world output. Also covers other environmental impacts and the main levers to cut emissions. Emission intensity 0.03 t CO2e per t range 0.005-0.06 · cradle-to-gate; undried sand about 0.005 (ICE v2.0); drying adds about 0.3-0.7 GJ/t of gas (assumed) at IPCC 2006 default of 56.1 kg CO2/GJ for natural gas Global emissions per year 13.0 Mt CO2e per year 2025 · about 0.03 t CO2e/t x 430 Mt; excludes long-haul delivery and HPQ purification

Per 1 t of washed, dried industrial sand at plant gate (cradle-to-gate); delivery shown separately. Intensity: Hammond and Jones 2011, ICE v2.0 (indicative); derived. Global total: Derived from USGS MCS 2026.

#### Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
 Extraction 20% Refining / processing 70% Movement 10%

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Extraction** | about 0.005 t CO2e/t (indicative) | 20% | diesel excavators, loaders and dredges | Shallow, unconsolidated deposits need little blasting | ICE v2.0, Hammond and Jones 2011 (indicative) |
| **Refining / processing** | about 0.02 t CO2e/t (indicative) | 70% | washing, attrition, classification, gas-fired drying, magnetic separation of iron | Wet in-basin frac sand skips drying and cuts this step; HPQ adds acid leaching, chlorination and high-temperature treatment, so it is far higher (not published) | Derived; USGS MCS 2026 on wet sand |
| **Movement** | plant-to-site trucking about 0.003 t CO2e/t; Wisconsin-to-Texas rail about 0.04 t CO2e/t (indicative) | 10% | rail, truck, transload | Long-haul rail can exceed production emissions: about 2,000 km x about 0.02 kg CO2e per t-km (derived). In-basin sand and conveyors avoid most of it | GLEC Framework default factors (indicative); derived |
| **Usage** | not applicable directly; enabling | – | frac sand enables shale oil and gas wells, whose combustion emissions are far larger; glass sand becomes glass melted at about 0.5-0.9 t CO2e per t glass | Silica in glass, solar panels and fibre optics; HPQ crucibles enable solar silicon | ICE v2.0 for glass (indicative) |
| **Recycling / end of life** | cullet cuts glass furnace energy; each 10% cullet saves about 2-3% energy (indicative) | – | glass recycling replaces virgin sand; foundry and abrasive sand reclaimed | About 33% of US glass containers are recycled; EU end-of-life recycling input rate for silica sand is 1% | USGS MCS 2026; EU CRM 2023; Glass industry rule of thumb (indicative) |

#### Other environmental impacts

Respirable crystalline silica is a carcinogen and drives strict exposure rules. Land disturbance, water use for washing, and dust. Unregulated sand mining in rivers and coasts is a major local issue, especially in India.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Wet in-basin frac sand avoids gas drying and long rail hauls (USGS MCS 2026)
- Electric conveyors such as Atlas's Dune Express in place of truck fleets
- Heat pumps or biomass for drying, and low-carbon power for washing plants
- Higher cullet rates in glass to reduce virgin sand and furnace energy

#### India

India mined about 12 Mt in 2025 (USGS); its glass furnaces run largely on natural gas and grid power of about 0.71 t CO2/MWh (CEA CO2 Baseline Database, about 0.71 t CO2/MWh (2023-24, indicative)), and river sand mining is regulated by states as a minor mineral.
 Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/production/index.md)
- [Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/stocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/characteristics/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/links/index.md)