In article ,
Simon Avery wrote:

Building sand can have high concentrations of salt in it - "washed
sand" is commonly available and may be implied depending on area, but
there's unlikely to be anything else - any mortar additives are put in
during mixing, or with the cement - never with the bulk like sand,
AFAIK.

As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in it for many
decades - at least not if bought from an even half-respectable person.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Simon Avery wrote:

Building sand can have high concentrations of salt in it - "washed
sand" is commonly available and may be implied depending on area, but
there's unlikely to be anything else - any mortar additives are put in
during mixing, or with the cement - never with the bulk like sand,
AFAIK.

As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in it for many
decades - at least not if bought from an even half-respectable person.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Simon Avery wrote:

Building sand can have high concentrations of salt in it - "washed
sand" is commonly available and may be implied depending on area, but
there's unlikely to be anything else - any mortar additives are put in
during mixing, or with the cement - never with the bulk like sand,
AFAIK.

As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in it for many
decades - at least not if bought from an even half-respectable person.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Simon Avery wrote:

Building sand can have high concentrations of salt in it - "washed
sand" is commonly available and may be implied depending on area, but
there's unlikely to be anything else - any mortar additives are put in
during mixing, or with the cement - never with the bulk like sand,
AFAIK.

As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in it for many
decades - at least not if bought from an even half-respectable person.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Simon Avery wrote:

Building sand can have high concentrations of salt in it - "washed
sand" is commonly available and may be implied depending on area, but
there's unlikely to be anything else - any mortar additives are put in
during mixing, or with the cement - never with the bulk like sand,
AFAIK.

As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in it for many
decades - at least not if bought from an even half-respectable person.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Simon Avery wrote:

Building sand can have high concentrations of salt in it - "washed
sand" is commonly available and may be implied depending on area, but
there's unlikely to be anything else - any mortar additives are put in
during mixing, or with the cement - never with the bulk like sand,
AFAIK.

As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in it for many
decades - at least not if bought from an even half-respectable person.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

(Nick Maclaren) wrote:

Hello Nick

NM As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in
NM it for many decades - at least not if bought from an even
NM half-respectable person.

They don't wash it at the quarry, and that's where I get mine from.
I'm a bit hazy about the geology side - I guess sand comes from both
sea and river sources, so if former it would surely have traces of
salt in it?

But I must admit, I've never licked it so can't say.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

"Simon Avery" wrote in message
...
(Nick Maclaren) wrote:

Hello Nick

NM As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in
NM it for many decades - at least not if bought from an even
NM half-respectable person.

They don't wash it at the quarry, and that's where I get mine from.
I'm a bit hazy about the geology side - I guess sand comes from both
sea and river sources, so if former it would surely have traces of
salt in it?

But I must admit, I've never licked it so can't say.
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

try putting some sand in a container and adding water. Stir. Leave to settle.
Taste water ?

Jenny :~)

On Thu, 1 Jan 2004 12:34:26 +0100, "JennyC" wrote:


But I must admit, I've never licked it so can't say.
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

try putting some sand in a container and adding water. Stir. Leave to settle.
Taste water ?

Throw away water, rinse container, add G&T, ice and a sliver of
lime...
Answer the question: Which did you prefer?

Shaken but not stirred...
--
Martin

In article ,
Simon Avery wrote:

NM As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in
NM it for many decades - at least not if bought from an even
NM half-respectable person.

They don't wash it at the quarry, and that's where I get mine from.
I'm a bit hazy about the geology side - I guess sand comes from both
sea and river sources, so if former it would surely have traces of
salt in it?

But I must admit, I've never licked it so can't say.

When laid down, sea sand would contain salt, but almost all sources
will have been washed clean. There is probably salty sand in the UK,
but it will not be sold unwashed by respectable builders' merchants,
as the salt interferes with cement and other uses and salty sand does
not meet the relevant standards.

Obvious, when using sand for seriously sensitive plants (e.g. orchids
or carnivorous ones), it should be well washed. Most plants don't
mind a trace, and quite a lot can handle actively salty soil if they
are soaked when they are watered.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

The message
from (Simon Avery) contains these words:
(Nick Maclaren) wrote:

Hello Nick

NM As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in
NM it for many decades - at least not if bought from an even
NM half-respectable person.

They don't wash it at the quarry, and that's where I get mine from.
I'm a bit hazy about the geology side - I guess sand comes from both
sea and river sources, so if former it would surely have traces of
salt in it?

But I must admit, I've never licked it so can't say.

The tens of thousands of years that's been there, any salt would have
been leached out, whatever the source.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

In article ,
Rusty Hinge wrote:
The message
from (Simon Avery) contains these words:
(Nick Maclaren) wrote:

NM As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in
NM it for many decades - at least not if bought from an even
NM half-respectable person.

They don't wash it at the quarry, and that's where I get mine from.
I'm a bit hazy about the geology side - I guess sand comes from both
sea and river sources, so if former it would surely have traces of
salt in it?

But I must admit, I've never licked it so can't say.

The tens of thousands of years that's been there, any salt would have
been leached out, whatever the source.

If it was on the surface, yes. But there is a lot of salt underneath
Cheshire, that has not leached in millions of years. I could very
easily believe that many such deposits are mixtures of sand and salt,
and that there are places where salty sand is an accessible mineral
(and not near a current seashore).


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

(Simon Avery) wrote in news:1072897410
@digdilem.org:

(Nick Maclaren) wrote:

Hello Nick

NM As Cormaic pointed out, builders' sand has not had salt in
NM it for many decades - at least not if bought from an even
NM half-respectable person.

They don't wash it at the quarry, and that's where I get mine from.
I'm a bit hazy about the geology side - I guess sand comes from both
sea and river sources, so if former it would surely have traces of
salt in it?


Some sand comes straight out of the sea.

In Barnstaple there is (or was for a long time) a sand dredger that went
out into the estuary at lowish tide, somehow gobbled up a sandbank, then
waited for the rising tide to float it off and back up the estuary to
unload.

Dunno what they do with the sand, but I assume they had to wash it,
whatever. (There always seems to be plenty of sand left...)

Victoria

try putting some sand in a container and adding water. Stir. Leave to
settle.
Taste water ?

Throw away water, rinse container, add G&T, ice and a sliver of
lime...
Answer the question: Which did you prefer?

Shaken but not stirred...

Ah! A new cocktail . . . "Sloe memorable brew behind the rocks on the beach"
.. . . ?

Andrew

Nick Maclaren1/1/04 2:37

snip
If it was on the surface, yes. But there is a lot of salt underneath
Cheshire, that has not leached in millions of years. I could very
easily believe that many such deposits are mixtures of sand and salt,
and that there are places where salty sand is an accessible mineral
(and not near a current seashore).


Thinking of which, a few years ago, we went to a hilltop village in
Provence, called Les Baux. It's thousands of feet above sea level and the
pathways and walls are studded here and there with limpet shells - it was
fascinating!
--

Sacha
(remove the 'x' to email me)