What does harvesting black sand do?

[shaydwyrm]

https://imgur.com/a/6w68XrY

Found this location and I'm wondering if the second option does anything other than making the location empty. The description suggests something about CO2/heat, but it's not clear if that's a mechanical effect or just flavor.

[baz]

You can use it to melt ice, instead of nuking it. There's no indication that you have it, but the game remembers you have it for when it's needed.

[lozacenz]

Basically means you can melt ice (certain locations at the polls, terraforming) without increasing radiation.

[shaydwyrm]

Ah okay, I remember seeing that option at the poles in the last run I did. Thanks!

[Rooks]

Originally posted by baz:

You can use it to melt ice, instead of nuking it. There's no indication that you have it, but the game remembers you have it for when it's needed.

I actually found it in the upper-right area, where the game keeps track of various space project, leader effects, etc.