Scenery Material: Chinchilla Dust

I discovered this versatile scenery material while watching a video by Marklinofsweden on making Magic Scenery Dust. The video mentioned Chinchilla Dust as one alternative to making the Magic Scenery Dust seen in the video.

Here is a link to the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZgqDcNRNns

So what is Chinchilla Dust? It's volcanic pumice ground to a fine, non-magnetic gray powder that can be used for dirt roads and paths. It also could be used as ballast in scales smaller than HO.

I bought a twenty-seven ounce container at Wal-Mart for less than six dollars. Identical-looking (I checked) Chinchilla Dust also is available at PetSmart and Petco at a slightly higher cost per ounce.

I was hoping I could use it as a substitute for Monster Model Works "Dirty Dirt" as this fine scenery product no longer is available.

As it turns out, the Chinchilla Dust is finer and more gray than the Dirty Dirt.

But it still can be used the same way Dirty Dirt was used. And like Dirty Dirt, it does not darken when fixed in place with diluted glue or Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement.

I like the wide array of colors for various earth tones offered by Bragdon's and Doc O'Brien's weathering powders but these are much too expensive to use in large quantities to simulate dirt. But mixing these powders with the Chinchilla Dust at one-to-three ratio produces the same powder shades to use as dirt at a fraction of the cost. I found these mixtures can be applied just like the Dirty Dirt: Sprinkle on, dampen with wet water and apply Scenic Cement.

I assume powdered artist's chalk could be used in much the same manner.