Frac sand, a specific type of silica sand, is a durable, round grain, crush-resistant material produced for use in the hydraulic fracturing process (more widely known as fracking). It is this process that has put frac sand on the proverbial map, as governments around the world begin to roll out new energy schemes including fracking, which are in turn boosting the call for this industrial mineral. "Increased demand for hydraulic fracturing sand in support of production of natural gas from shale gas deposits has led to production capacity upgrades and ongoing permitting and opening of numerous new mines," the US Geological Survey (USGS) industrial sand and gravel report for 2012 oudined.
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