{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.sand","code":"thing-q34679","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q34679/","name":"sand","alternateNames":["oil sands","Grovmo","monazite sands","quartz sand","flying sand","Aqu-aqu","Rinazzu","ironsand","volcanic sand","white sand","cover sand","hydrophobic sand"],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.4","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.OBJ"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"A granular material of rock and mineral particles between about 0.0625 and 2 millimetres in diameter, most commonly quartz sand from weathered silicate rocks, with other types such as coral and shell sands, black volcanic sands and heavy mineral monazite sands rich in thorium and rare earths, and flying or blowing sand moved by wind; oil sands are sand and clay deposits containing bitumen, as in Alberta. Sand is one of the most extracted materials on Earth for concrete, glass and land reclamation, and UNEP has warned of unsustainable sand extraction. Crystalline silica dust from cutting sand-based materials can cause silicosis, and the registry aliases Grovmo and Aqu-aqu could not be verified.","purpose":"Let an agent explain sand, relay classification, types, formation, uses, extraction impacts and health hazards from geology, UNEP and occupational health sources with debates attributed, describe the named types and flag unverified aliases, and distinguish sand from silt, gravel, soil and quicksand as a condition.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Grain size definition","Quartz dominance","Heavy global extraction","Silica dust hazard"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"understand","name":"Understand","description":"What sand is.","layers":[{"id":"definition","name":"Definition","description":"Definition.","findings":[{"id":"definition-finding","name":"Definition","description":"Definition.","questions":[{"text":"Is someone trapped in collapsed sand or a deep beach hole, in which case call emergency services and do not dig in a way that causes further collapse?","kind":"boundary"},{"text":"What is sand, and how does it differ from silt, gravel, soil and quicksand?","kind":"definition"}]}]},{"id":"types","name":"Types","description":"Named types.","findings":[{"id":"types-finding","name":"Types","description":"Types.","questions":[{"text":"What are quartz, monazite, flying and oil sands, and what might Grovmo and Aqu-aqu refer to?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits the specific type?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"geology","name":"Geology","description":"Geology.","layers":[{"id":"formation","name":"Formation","description":"Formation.","findings":[{"id":"formation-finding","name":"Formation","description":"Formation.","questions":[{"text":"How does weathering produce sand, and why is quartz so common?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which references are standard?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"dunes","name":"Dunes","description":"Wind-blown sand.","findings":[{"id":"dunes-finding","name":"Dunes","description":"Dunes.","questions":[{"text":"How does wind move sand to form dunes?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which sources are cited?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]},{"id":"resources","name":"Resources","description":"Use and extraction.","layers":[{"id":"extraction","name":"Extraction","description":"Sand extraction.","findings":[{"id":"extraction-finding","name":"Extraction","description":"Extraction.","questions":[{"text":"What does UNEP report about sand extraction impacts on rivers and coasts, with figures attributed?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Is the information current?","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"uses","name":"Uses","description":"Uses.","findings":[{"id":"uses-finding","name":"Uses","description":"Uses.","questions":[{"text":"Why is desert sand often unsuitable for concrete?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits construction aggregate?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"context","name":"Context","description":"Health and energy.","layers":[{"id":"silica","name":"Silica","description":"Silica dust.","findings":[{"id":"silica-finding","name":"Silica","description":"Silica.","questions":[{"text":"How do exposure limits protect workers from crystalline silica?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits silicosis?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"oilsands","name":"Oil sands","description":"Oil sands debate.","findings":[{"id":"oilsands-finding","name":"Oil sands","description":"Oil sands.","questions":[{"text":"What do industry, governments and environmental groups argue about oil sands, with positions attributed?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Is the presentation neutral and attributed?","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Describe types of sand, their grain sizes and origins.","Warn about collapse of deep holes in beach sand and dust from cutting sand-bearing materials."],"mustNot":["Assist in illegal sand mining or trade in unlicensed sand.","Dig or allow deep holes in sand where they can collapse on people.","Ignore silica dust controls where sand is cut, blasted or ground.","Handle radioactive mineral sands without radiation safety authorisation."],"requiresHuman":["Approving extraction of sand from beaches, rivers or seabeds."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Sand extraction destroys rivers and coasts and is linked to organised crime.","Silica dust causes lung disease in workers."],"affectedParties":["Coastal and river communities","Workers","Ecosystems"]},"owners":{"steward":"The landholder or the state for public beaches and riverbeds, under mining and environmental authorities.","roles":[],"masterSystems":["Mining licence registers"]},"relations":[{"target":"Q1155083","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"Q12372934","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"Q2259909","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"Q3300024","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"clastic sediment","type":"related","note":"in registry terms"},{"target":"concrete","type":"related"},{"target":"silicosis","type":"related","note":"as crystalline silica dust"},{"target":"silt","type":"related"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.sand","Wikidata: Q34679 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34679)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["grain size: 0.0625-2 mm - Wentworth scale","global sand and gravel use: about 50 billion tonnes a year note - UNEP estimate, check current","main mineral: quartz note"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Granular sediment of 0.0625-2 mm particles","Oil sands, Grovmo, monazite sands, quartz sand, flying sand, Aqu-aqu","Silt is finer; gravel is coarser; soil contains organic matter; quicksand is saturated sand that loses strength","Loose grains in colours from white and golden to black, pink or green, forming beaches, dunes and riverbeds."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["explain grain size and types","relay uses and extraction impacts","describe named types","relay silica dust hazards"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Silicosis from dust","Illegal sand mining damage","Beach sand hole collapses"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Occupational exposure limits for respirable crystalline silica","Sand mining permits and river protection laws","Radiation rules for monazite handling"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Construction, glassmaking, industry and landscapes.","quartz sand","carbonate sands","volcanic sands","heavy mineral sands","aeolian or flying sand","oil sands"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q34679: sand","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34679","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Sand","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["The registry aliases Grovmo and Aqu-aqu could not be verified and should be reviewed","Should oil sands be moved to petroleum entries?","How should UNEP sand reports be linked?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q34679/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q34679/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-13T22:52:40Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-06T19:51:59+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}