100% Olivine
greenSand products are made from certified, pure Olivine. This volcanic rock belongs to the group of silicates and is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth; it is the main component of the upper mantle. That is why large quantities of Olivine can be found all over the world.
greenSand Olivine is a 100% natural product. It is extracted from dunite and/or serpentine rocks, which consist of more than 90% olivine.
In the foreground is geologist and olivine expert Dr. Prof. dr. Olaf Schuiling can be seen in front of an olivine quarry in Spain.
CPR - EN 13242
All greenSand products comply with the European standard and are approved as construction products under EN 13242 of the EU Construction Products Regulation. This construction product standard specifies the requirements for “aggregates for unbound and hydraulically bound mixtures for civil engineering and road construction”.
Batch inspection
To guarantee the purity and quality of the Olivine, each batch of greenSand Olivine is tested by the international certification and inspection company SGS. An environmental, hygiene and technical test is performed.
The problem of the possible presence of asbestos in mineral raw materials is not new: Gravel and crushed stone from various rocks can contain traces of asbestos. Because safety and quality are paramount at greenSand, every batch is tested for asbestos by SGS to ensure greenSand’s Olivine is pure, safe and asbestos-free.
Origin and extraction
greenSand works with selected quarries in Spain, Norway, Italy and Turkey, where Olivine is extracted, crushed into different grain sizes and certified. Most of the Olivine comes from the quarry in Spain, which meets high ecological standards that minimize mineral extraction and environmental impact. He distinguishes himself through sustainable and innovative working methods. For example, the quarry has its own water filtration system, which means that water consumption is minimal.
The ultra-basic rock olivine has the natural property to bind CO2 in contact with (rain) water and CO2 (weathering) and remove it from the atmosphere, making it a climate-positive product. To maintain this advantage and the good ecological balance of greenSand, the Olivine is extracted from the nearest quarries and transported in large quantities. GreenSand tries to minimize the transport routes and the number of transports. On the left is the olivine quarry in Spain.