Elon Musk has dabbled, or hinted at dabbling, in numerous industries. The Tesla CEO is best known for his work at the electric-car company, SpaceX, and the Boring Company. Oh, and he wants to create a candy company, among other things.
What might be next for Musk? As if he doesn't have his hands full already, it may be something as simple as bricks. Musk reportedly explained his idea for ultra-strong bricks during an information session about the Boring Company, according to a report from The Verge last Friday. Per Musk, the bricks come from the dirt and muck dug up while the Boring Company tunnels.
Right now, the executive is removing the dirt and debris and shipping it off in trucks to, well, we don't know. But, Musk said the cost to remove and transport the dirt accounts for about 15-20 percent of the the cost of the first Boring Company's tunnel.
So, to fix this, Musk wants to turn the dirt into low-cost bricks that are stronger than cinder blocks and sell them for "like 10 cents a brick or something like that," he said. Apparently, the dirt bricks are made by compressing the dirt at high pressures and adding a small amount of concrete. Thus, they will handle 5,000 pounds per square inch, according to Musk.
He told those in attendance at the information session that the bricks are smooth and of far higher quality than traditional cinder blocks. Not only that, but they could be used for affordable housing, per the executive. "These are bricks that are way better than any bricks I’ve ever seen at a construction site," Musk noted.
What else has Mr. Musk been up to? He also said the Boring Company built a battery-powered locomotive to haul the dirt away from the tunnel site. The train allegedly uses Model 3 batteries and moves a quarter-million pounds of dirt per load.