In the sand and gravel industry, materials are divided into stone chips, stone powder, stones, gravel, rubble, and stone. What are they and what is the difference? This article introduces you to popularize their specifications, uses, and features.

1. Stone chips

The stone chips are the part of the sieve that passes through the smallest sieve hole(normally is 2.36mm or 4.75mm) when processes the ore in quarry, which is also known as screen chips.

A. The surface of stone chips is rougher than sand. It has sharp edges and corners and contains more stone powder with a particle size of less than 0.16mm.

B. The stone chips contain large particles as well as powder particles. This graded mixture has high strength and good adhesion to cement.

C. Crushed stone processed in stone chips quarry.

2. Stone powder

The stone powder is obtained by grinding the alkaline stone such as limestone. Its particle size is less than 0.075mm.

1. The particle size of stone powder is smaller than that of the stone chips. Therefore, the stone chips cannot be backfilled with stone powder when the pipe trench is backfilled.

2. Concrete mixed with cement and stone powder, due to the relatively simple gradation, the adhesion between cement and stone will decrease, thereby reducing the overall strength.

3. Stone(pebble, gravel)

The stone refers to white stones, colored stones, black stones, crushed stones, gravel, pebbles, etc. Generally, white stones, colored stones, and black stones have a small particle size and are used in decoration projects; the gravel, and pebble are suitable for building, municipalities, highways, and railways.

4. Broken stone

Angled granules that are mined and processed to certain size requirements. Crushed stone is a necessary material for concrete. Generally, the particle size of crushed stone used in concrete is between 5-25mm.

5. Sandstone(Graded sand)

Sandstone is a mixture of sand and stone in a certain ratio, also known as graded sandstone. Generally used for ground cushion, foundation cushion, road cushion, etc.

6. Rock ballast

Gravel is an irregular stone left after a broken stone. They vary in size, some of them are very small in powder form, and some are large in a flake form.