grancrete, another alternative to concrete

Grancrete is a tough reinforcement-free ceramic building material, created by Jim Paul as a replacement for concrete, and it is made from an environmentally friendly mix of locally available materials: 50 percent sand or sandy soil, 25 percent ash and 25 percent binding material. Binding material is composed of magnesium oxide and potassium phosphate, the latter of which is a biodegradable element in fertilizer. If Grancrete were to decompose (its lifespan is calculated at 100 years+) it would revitalize the soil. Early in the development stage, Mr. Paul had problems with cracking, so he turned to Arun Wagh (an amazing man!) of The Argonne National Laboratory, who in 1996 created a material called Ceramicrete, originally developed to encase nuclear waste, and has since led to many other uses.
Grancrete is 20% lighter than and twice as strong as concrete, is fire resistant and can withstand both tropical and sub-freezing temperatures. It has the ability to set quickly in a much greater range of temperatures than concrete. It has a short curing time (15 to 20 minutes), is pH tolerant, impervious to water (including salt) and even cures underwater. It bonds to all surfaces, except glass and plastics, and will not expand or contract, meaning no control joints are necessary.
Grancrete can be sprayed, poured, troweled, coloured, painted, whatever you can dream up. It shall be fascinating to see what develops in the future.....

Early photos of Gancrete being sprayed over a styrofoam structure:

Grancrete, Inc.