ABSTRACT
Sand and gravel deposits are normally considered together as sources of naturally occurring fine and coarse aggregate found mainly in alluvial environments. In former times they constituted the largest mineral commodity extracted in developed countries, but are now being overtaken by crushed rock production. Their popularity stems from being close to users, cheap to extract and easy to process (by minimal crushing, washing and screening). They are well suited to small-scale quarrying operations, providing concrete aggregates and sealing aggregates to local markets. Their present decline in many areas is partly because the best deposits have been worked out or built over, and partly a response to environmental restrictions, which tend to bear more heavily upon sand and gravel operations than on hard rock quarries.
