Beach Replenishment
Bright-white aragonite sand for beach replenishment
A high-purity beach nourishment sand, popular on beaches across the United States. We're the world's largest supplier of oolitic aragonite, and we have never had a rejected load or failed to meet customer demand.
On a beach
Why aragonite for beach replenishment
Sized to match your native beach
Fill sand has to be compatible with the sand already on the beach. Tell us the project's target gradation and we size our aragonite to hit it. Our facility grades every load, and tighter custom sizing is available where the standard gradation won't serve.
Bright white and high purity
Bahamian oolitic aragonite is very white and very pure. On the published analysis, CaCO₃ runs 96% minimum and Fe₂O₃ 80 ppm maximum. How it looks is one reason it has been a popular nourishment sand for beaches across the United States.
Rounded oolitic grains
Aragonite grains are ovular, built from needle-like crystals that clump together as they precipitate to the ocean floor. Same chemistry, same shape, load after load.
A renewable source
Finite deposits get dredged down. Oolitic aragonite forms continuously in the shallow Bahama Banks, which makes it a 100% renewable mineral resource, harvested in close conjunction with the Bahamian government.
New sand, old mineral. What is oolitic aragonite
Specifications
The numbers on our nourishment sand
This is the typical analysis of our oolitic aragonite as harvested and processed. We publish it so you can qualify the sand against your project requirements.
For beach replenishment, buyers look hardest at the sieve analysis, because grain size is what determines native-sand compatibility. Then at CaCO₃, which drives the white, high-purity appearance.
| Analyte | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Fe₂O₃ | 80 ppm max |
| CaCO₃ | 96% min |
| MgO | 0.35% |
| H₂O | <1% |
| US mesh | % retained |
|---|---|
| +20 | 0 |
| +30 | 28.7 |
| +40 | 28.5 |
| +50 | 25 |
| +70 | 12.7 |
| +100 | 4.1 |
| +140 | 0.8 |
| +200 | 0.2 |
Typical values, not a guaranteed analysis. Certified assays available on request.
Supply and delivery
Built for project-scale supply
Beach projects run big, and we supply at that scale. Millions of tons sold, hundreds of customers. Aragonite Source is run today by the former principals of Marcona, who harvested aragonite at Ocean Cay from the 1970s into the early 2000s. That is more than 50 years on the water.
We select sites in close conjunction with the Bahamian government for uniform testing and renewability, then ship under controlled conditions into the U.S., so what reaches our facility is what we dug.
From there, delivery runs on our own truck fleet plus rail out of our own yard. Consistent, and on time. Always to specification, which is how we've kept a record of zero rejected loads.
Let's talk about your beach project.
Send us the spec for your beach replenishment or renourishment project. Target gradation and volume, and we'll get you material that hits it.
Thank you. We're on it.
Your inquiry is in. We'll be in touch shortly. The email and phone above stay open if you'd rather not wait.