Reminds me of the story about the scientist that made a bet with God that he could create life, and challenged him to a race. God took him on.
God reached down and grabbed a hand full of dirt.
The scientist grabbed a hand full of dirt.
God looks over and exclaims “Hey - no fair! Get your OWN dirt!”
I was remembering that story when I wrote the line.
In reality, the material on Venus’ surface may be worse than that of Mars for making up soil, but it would be the closest stuff available.
Anything else would have to be brought from another world, at quite inconvenient expense. What Venus lacks primarily is water. We shouldn’t have to look very far just for dirt.