Sand has now become a scarce and expensive material and the extraction of river sand is now said to affect the ecological balance. The use of sand substitutes has gained much importance.
Surkhi, or fine-grained burnt clay, is one of the materials used for this purpose. It can be used in all mortars, except plaster.
Screening of processed mine dust or rock is also being used as an alternative. It is available in abundance and if properly tested, it imparts greater strength to the mortar. It is now being manufactured industrially under various trade names.
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