Yes, it's called manufactured sand and it's made by crushing rocks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVBiRPkQ0MI

> If the problem of dessert sand lies in its grain shape, could it be addressed by using it to produce a "synthetic" grain with the right shape?

That sounds incredibly expensive.

One of the great virtues of modern concrete construction is that it's inexpensive compared to feasible alternatives.

For sure, yea, but it'll likely be way more expensive than just hauling it off the ground.

That's a great startup idea!

I'll bring the glue, you bring the sand and we can glue the grains into more useful shapes.