Patent ID: 8795429

Claim:
A method of making loose aggregate particles consisting of the steps of: forming a mixture by mixing ingredients consisting essentially of: water, cementitious reactive powder consisting essentially of fly ash and a calcium sulfate selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate hemihydrate, calcium sulfate dihydrate, and mixtures thereof, and optional silica fume, an alkali metal salt of citric acid selected from the group consisting of sodium citrate, potassium citrate and mixtures thereof, a foaming agent, and optionally at least one or more member selected from the group consisting of secondary aggregate other than said loose aggregate, superplasticizer, set accelerating agents other than said alkali metal salt of citric acid, set retarding agents, shrinkage control agents, thickening agents, coloring agents, and internal curing agents, and reacting the mixture in situ at a temperature of about 20° C. to 41° C. by mixing for about 3 to 6 minutes to form aggregate particles comprising hydration products of the fly ash and calcium sulfate in the mixture and crystalline hydration products of the fly ash and calcium sulfate which are also formed in situ and are interspersed within and between the aggregate particles to bind the aggregate particles, and separating the aggregate particles as loose aggregate particles from the mixture.