Trying to Recreate a nice sandy effect to improve at material creation

Hey all I’m a junior vfx artist that’s trying to recreate this effect^^. I’ve haven’t been a junior for very long but I feel a bit stuck. I want to improve and learn, so I’m trying to get better at making more visually interesting materials and getting some practice using substance designer. So I figured I would try recreating this effect I saw on art station https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Za9DZ8 . I’ve always really liked the idea of making an effect with some sandy elements and this seemed like a really nice place to start. I’m going to try and get a first pass done in a bit and if anybody has any feedback to give or any advice at all feel free the share!