Materials
What is a stone aggregate: definition, types and how it is made
Stone aggregate —sand and gravel— is 60–70% of concrete's volume (GCC, 2020). What it is, its types, and how a quarry produces it.
Blog topic
Construction materials: aggregates, block, pavers and crushing
Grupo Server's materials and aggregates line manufactures concrete block, pavers and stone aggregates, and distributes construction materials. Promotora Server manufactures structural and facade concrete block, concrete brick and eco-friendly pavers. Triturados Gramol produces stone aggregates —gravel, sand, ballast, base and asphalt mix— at two plants in Coahuila and San Luis Potosí. Vermat distributes construction materials and hardware in Saltillo, an authorized Cemix distributor. This section gathers guides on what these materials are — where they come from, how they are classified and how they are produced — and how to choose, order and verify them correctly before they reach the job site.
Questions this topic answers
Stone aggregates: definition, types and calculation
- Materials
Difference between sand and gravel: fine and coarse aggregate
Civil engineering splits sand and gravel by particle size, using the No. 4 sieve (4.75 mm) as a general rule of thumb. When to use each.
- Materials
Types of sand for construction: river, manufactured, silica and volcanic
Aggregates —sand included— make up 60–70% of concrete's volume (GCC, 2020). A guide to the 4 sand types and how each is used.
- Materials
Types of gravel and their sizes: 3/8, 3/4, 1 and 1½ inches
GCC grades crushed gravel in 3/8, 3/4, 1 and 1½ inches (NMX-C-111-ONNCCE-2018). Sizes, uses and the difference with fine gravel.
- Materials
How much concrete material do I need per cubic meter: how to calculate it
A 5×4 m slab, 10 cm thick, needs 2 m³ of concrete. How to calculate volume and where to check the exact mix proportion.
Production and quarries
- Materials
How does a rock crushing plant work? Step-by-step process
A crushing plant reduces rock into at least 4 aggregate sizes, with quality control under the NMX-C-111-ONNCCE-2018 standard.
- Materials
What is a quarry (banco de materiales) and how is it regulated in Mexico?
Quarry (SGM): open-pit excavation for stone material. No concession needed (Ley Minera art. 5); environmental control sits with states (LGEEPA art. 7).
- Materials
What is mining? Definition, types and what the Ley Minera does not cover
Mining contributed 2.7% of national GDP in 2023 (SGM). What it is, metallic vs non-metallic, and why a quarry is not a mining concession.
- Materials
Types of mining: open pit, underground, placer and quarries
The four types of mining in Mexico: open pit, underground, placer and non-metallic. Advantages, drawbacks and environmental impact of each.
- Materials
Mining in Coahuila and Saltillo: what is extracted and how much
Coahuila ranked 1st nationally in coal and celestite, 2nd in limestone in 2023. Saltillo produces marble, limestone and aggregates, per the SGM.
Precast products and pavements
- Materials
Eco-friendly pavers: what they are and when they make sense
Concrete pavers are regulated by NMX-C-314-ONNCCE-2014, in force since April 6, 2015. What makes them permeable and when to use them.
- Materials
Concrete block: types, strength and how to read the data sheet
Concrete block in Mexico is regulated by NMX-C-404-ONNCCE-2012, in force since February 11, 2013. Types and what to require in the data sheet.
- Materials
Ballast, base and asphalt surface course: what they are and what they do
A pavement is structured into subgrade, sub-base, base and surface course, per standard N-CMT-4-02-001/21 (SICT, in force since 2021).
Buying materials in Saltillo
- Materials
How to choose a construction materials store in Saltillo
Six criteria for choosing a materials supplier in Saltillo: data sheet, NMX standard, delivery, freight, invoicing and advice.