China Experiments with ‘Rubber’ Sand Formula

China is experimenting with "sand-solidifying technology" to protect the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from the corrosive effects of the desert.

The OH sand-solidifying and foliage-planting technology uses a treatment of sowed grass seeds, water and fertiliser, which is sprayed onto the sand, casing it to solidify in around two hours, according to news agency xinhuanet.

"The chemical treatment, which is able to solidify the sand into a rubber-like solid earth, has no poisonous or harmful elements," says project chief Li Runjie.

The experiment saw grass grow from the sand after around 15 days.

The 1,956km-long Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the highest railway in the world, reaching 5,072m above sea-level.

By staff writer