A leading industrial sand supplier in Wisconsin told IM: “Industrial sand is selling extremely well across the US due to the ongoing boom in oil and natural gas drilling. As a result there is now a shortage of silica sand for other industries like foundry and glass which are steadily recovering”.
Hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking") involves pumping large volumes of sand, water and chemicals into underground shale formations using a pressurised pump to help hold open the fractures, allowing the oil and natural gas to move closer to the surface.
Grades in demand...
