Sandy Rivers

The most mined material on earth. It’s not the coal needed to power almost every building on earth but the sand and gravel used to construct them.  Up to 85% of all material mined from planet earth is sand or gravel. The cement, asphalt, glass needed to establish develop jungles is all largely made of sand.

But we may be running into a shortage. We have plenty of deserts. 7% of the earth is covered in vast expanses of sand. The Sahara covers the same area as the United States. But the fine, white, squeaky sand of the Whitsundays is about as useful as a glass hammer. Only gravelly sand found in riverbeds can be used for cement production.

Just like fish and air, it is a command access good, largely accessible to all with little regulation. We are consuming it 3x more quickly than nature can replenish the resource through the weathering of mountains.

Interestingly, one of the smallest country’s in the world is the biggest importer. In an effort to expand its borders, Singapore has increased its land area by 20% over the last few decades. Recently, neighbouring countries like Malaysia have banned sand exports to the country.