Sand Mining
View Sand Mining Gallery
The world’s beaches are being mined for sand for a variety of uses (aggregate in concrete, fill, beach renourishment). The practice is often very destructive and poorly managed (or unmanaged). This is a global phenomenon (Morocco, Caribbean Islands, India, South Africa and more). This theft of beach and dune sand is a direct cause of erosion along many shorelines. It is very damaging to the beach fauna and flora, ruinous to beach aesthetics, and frequently causes environmental damage to other coastal ecosystems associated with the beach such as wetlands.
Another major impact of beach sand mining is the loss of protection from storms surges associated with tropical cyclones and tsunamis. Some communities affected by the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean had higher storm surges probably due to beach sand mining resulting in fatalities. Sometimes it is difficult to tell that a beach has been mined. Sand extraction becomes difficult to recognize as the beach readjusts to a new profile after a few storms. But historic accounts of beaches in the Caribbean often reveal that beaches have been narrowed considerably. Mining is particularly senseless in a time of rising sea level when sand is sorely needed as a storm energy buffer.
Surfing in / Sand Mining
Last-Chance Beaches: Morocco
You’d think that a desert country like Morocco would have enough sand for everyone. But at least a few parties feel the need to steal sand from Morocco’s Atlantic beaches, by literally bulldozing dunes, trucking the sand away to make cement, and leaving behind ugly lunar landscapes.
Comments Off on Last-Chance Beaches: Morocco
Take Action to End Global Beach Sand Mining!
We urge you to become part of the movement by signing the petition to end beach sand mining.
The black marketeers stealing Indonesia’s islands by the boat-load
For the people of Sebesi Island, who spend their lives next to the world’s biggest natural time bomb, it seemed to be an offer that they could not refuse.
Comments Off on The black marketeers stealing Indonesia’s islands by the boat-load
The Double Disaster
The Impacts of illicit River Sand Mining & Climate Change in Sri Lanka
Comments Off on The Double Disaster
Preserving the health of the Rio de la Plata
Research may lead to policies and regulations on side mining in Uruguay.
Comments Off on Preserving the health of the Rio de la Plata
Documenting The Global Impacts Of Beach Sand Mining
For centuries, beach sand has been mined for use as aggregate in concrete, for heavy minerals, and for construction fill.
Comments Off on Documenting The Global Impacts Of Beach Sand Mining
Benin: Erosion-inducing coastal sand mining to be outlawed
Faced with rising sea levels and coastal erosion caused in part by coastal sand mining, carting away of free beach sand for commercial uses, the national government has begun a campaign to save its coastal sand by digging up sand inland, instead. But communities near these newly-created sand collection spots are fighting back.
Comments Off on Benin: Erosion-inducing coastal sand mining to be outlawed
Mining Of Coastal Sand: A Critical Environmental And Economic Problem For Morocco
In Morocco, the extraction of beach and dune sand for use in the construction industry is destroying significant portions of the nation’s natural heritage.
Comments Off on Mining Of Coastal Sand: A Critical Environmental And Economic Problem For Morocco
Slideshow: The Global Impacts Of Beach Sand Mining
Beach sand: so common, so complex, so perfect for sand castles and now a precious and vanishing resource.
Comments Off on Slideshow: The Global Impacts Of Beach Sand Mining
