In 1963 more than 27 million tons of sand and gravel, directly or
indirectly of glacial origin, was sold by Illinois producers for almost
25 million dollars. The sand alone would have filled a child’s sand box,
with an area of 8 square miles, to a depth of 1 foot. The gravel would
have covered an even larger area.
The gravel was used in making concrete for roads and buildings, for
surfacing roads, for ballast for railroad tracks, and for other
purposes. The sand found its way into plaster, mortar, concrete, and a
variety of other products and uses. Some of it was produced for use as
molding sand.