Frack Sand Boom: Modern Day Gold Rush -- Carpe Diem -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Link here.

From FT.com via Carpe Diem:

"Gas and oil production from shale rocks has triggered a corollary boom underground as drillers demand billions of pounds of sand. The hydraulic fracturing process that has brought new hydrocarbon supplies to the US relies on massive injections of water and chemicals to break open rocks. Sand is also pumped into wells as a form of scaffolding.

Sand miners are now racing to expand operations, attracting the attention of private equity investors. One, US Silica Holdings, has disclosed plans to raise $200 million through a public offering."