An exciting opportunity for profitability and sustainability is emerging in the quarrying sector as operators across Australia face a changing landscape in concrete sand supply.
The demand for concrete in construction continues to rise, as access to natural sand, its key component, is dwindling.
Environmental and regulatory pressures are increasing as infrastructure investment demands more sustainable practices.
Kayasand national sales manager Frank Grech said this creates both a challenge and an opportunity for quarries.
“By rethinking how they manage by-products, operators can unlock new value streams while reducing environmental impacts,” he told Quarry.
“A great example is at Bass Point Quarry in New South Wales, where Heidelberg Materials Australia has partnered with Kayasand to turn crusher dust into premium concrete sand.”
Heidelberg’s decision at Bass Point
In July 2025, Heidelberg announced it would install a new 120 tonnes-per-hour Kayasand V7-120 plant at Bass Point. The plant will process surplus crusher dust, a by-product traditionally considered low-value material, into a consistent, high-quality engineered sand designed for use in concrete.
For Heidelberg Materials, the decision is about more than efficiency. It’s about securing a sustainable, long-term supply of sand for its ready-mixed concrete operations while reducing reliance on natural sand.
“We researched sand manufacturing solutions globally and Kayasand was the only one that met our sustainability and performance criteria,” Heidelberg Materials NSW supply chain manager Scott Whittaker said.
“The primary driver for Bass Point Quarry is increasing the volume of crusher dust that we can convert into sand for our concrete business.
“Kayasand aligns with our sustainability goals by reducing waste and balancing sales volumes to production volumes in a way that also boosts quarry profitability.”
By converting crusher dust into high-value sand, Heidelberg Materials can reduce waste, strengthen its supply chain resilience, and increase returns from every tonne.
At the heart of the V7-120 is advanced crushing and screening technology. Unlike traditional wet processing, this technology employs a fully dry process that eliminates the need for washing, tailing ponds, and complex water management solutions. This dramatically reduces a quarry’s environmental footprint and dependence on the local water supply.
These plants precisely control the grading, shaping, and removal of contaminants like clay and silt, producing a quality sand engineered specifically for performance in concrete.
For quarry operators, this means a reliable, consistent product that meets technical specifications and reduces the risks associated with variability in natural sand.
“This is state-of-the-art Japanese technology that replaces the need for natural sand in concrete. In time, it will eliminate that need entirely,” Kayasand chief executive officer Bram Smith said.
“The growth in demand is driven by the construction industry’s drive for sustainable, scalable solutions coupled with quarries’ drive for greater utilisation to drive revenue.”
Balancing profit and responsibility
The Bass Point project shows how profitability and sustainability can go hand-in-hand. Crusher dust, once stockpiled, can become a revenue stream. At the same time, the switch to engineered sand reduces pressure on finite natural resources and avoids the environmental impacts associated with dredging or sand mining.
Smith said the industry is beginning to realise the benefits.
“Sands that are precision engineered for concrete performance are the future,” he said. “They give us much better control of the outcome and are more environmentally sustainable than natural sands.”
Australia’s journey toward net zero adds urgency to this transition. According to CSIRO’s Pathways to Net Zero report, the country must reduce emissions by more than 50 per cent from 2020 levels by 2030 to stay aligned with a 1.5°C global warming trajectory. Cement and concrete are among the hardest sectors to decarbonise, yet demand is projected to grow by more than a quarter by 2050.
Lowering the cement levels in concrete can significantly reduce emissions. A variety of approaches are being implemented, including using cement substitutes such as fly ash or slag. Well-graded, shaped, and clean sand can significantly lower cement demand in concrete.
“Cement savings of five to 15 per cent are achievable in typical concrete mix designs by using good quality engineered sand made in quarries using Kayasand’s V7 technology,” Smith said.
“Engineered sand provides a practical step forward. By reducing quarry waste, conserving natural sand resources, and supporting more consistent concrete mixes, it helps the sector balance emissions reduction with continued growth.
“For quarry operators, it offers both a sustainability story and a business case: better utilisation of resources, stronger product margins, and reduced exposure to natural sand shortages.”
Scaling the solution
Kayasand has plans to roll out at least 10 plants across Australia and New Zealand by 2030, creating a network of facilities capable of transforming quarry by-products into high-value engineered sand.
For Heidelberg Materials, being among the first to adopt the technology offers strategic benefits: greater control of its sand supply, a pathway to reduced environmental impact, and the ability to meet the expectations of customers seeking more sustainable materials.
Smith said it’s a blueprint for smarter use of every part of the quarry.
“We’re exploring ways to turn every gram of material produced in quarries into something valuable, whether that’s for roads, buildings, or even farming,” he said.
Grech said Kayasand’s deal with Heidelberg Materials Australia at Bass Point signals a broader industry shift.
“Quarries are seeking out opportunities where profitability and sustainability can be achieved from the same investment. They are two sides of the same coin,” he said.
“For quarry operators, engineered sand is proving to be more than a niche product. It’s a scalable solution that strengthens the bottom line, reduces environmental impact, and secures a sustainable sand supply for decades to come.” •
For more information, visit kayasand.com
The post Kayasand: Crushing dust and creating value through innovation appeared first on Quarry.