The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), in conjunction with industry and academic experts, staff and consultants, is releasing comprehensive reference-tool The Aggregates Handbook, second edition, on Nov. 1, 2012.

Orders placed before Oct. 15, 2012, are entitled to bulk pricing for single-copy purchases by calling (800) 342-1415 or purchasing online at www.nssga.org/handbook.

The Aggregates Handbook was developed to provide a convenient reference source suitable for use by aggregates industry personnel, consulting engineers, contractors, builders, government agencies and students interested in pursuing careers in the aggregates industry. Building on the work of the original Aggregate Handbook published in 1991 by the National Stone Association (with an electronic supplement in 2005 by NSSGA), the new edition offers updated content and expanded coverage on all aspects of the crushed stone, sand and gravel production industry. Topics include sustainability, production technology, safety, transportation, geology, plant processing, design, technology standards and industry trends.

The handbook focuses on three major areas of the aggregates industry:

1. The first major area outlines the steps of locating, mining, processing and transporting aggregates material from a deposit to the marketplace.

2. The second major area focuses on the users of crushed stone, sand and gravel.

3. The third major area provides information on aggregates specifications and standards as well as on sampling, testing and quality-control principles.

The 800-plus-page second edition of The Aggregates Handbook will be released in both hardcopy and electronic form. Future editions are planned on a five-year cycle.