The global sand hunger

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More cities, more houses, more roads For all of these projects, we especially need Sand. Where he is everywhere to be mined, and what is the significance of the raw material for the economy, says a geologist is a Business.

In Singapore is becoming more built – valuable Sand

The fine Sand tickles between the toes, the gentle caress of the waves on the beach. A vacation dream of many people in the summer want to enjoy. But this Idyll is, of course, no matter whether on the island of Sylt, Sardinia, Zanzibar or Singapore. Our shores to take anywhere in the world, more and more damage. The reason is the global sand hunger.

For one thing, we need to the world, more and more Sand to build houses and roads. “Construction sand is an important raw material,” says economic geologist Harald Elsner from the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and natural resources (BGR) in Hannover. BGR is committed to sustainable use of natural resources, and advises in this field, the Federal government. “Ready-mix concrete, concrete bricks, filling material, tile, Asphalt, cement – Sand gets everywhere.” The representative of the United Nations environment programme (UNEP) estimated the worldwide annual consumption of Sand and gravel to more than 40 billion tons.

Industry needs quartz sand

Important silica sand is also. With him the glass, plastics or the chemical industry works, “so for all the higher purposes that are used especially in industrial countries,” says Elsner. Why silica sand not to be used, contrary to some reports, the production of solar cells or other electronic. The necessary silicon is obtained instead of quartz gravel, such as Harald Elsner explained.

Still, “the sandy is essential,” says the geologist, the importance of the raw material. In Germany alone, every year, to be reduced to around 100 million tons of Sand. In boom, it can also be quite more, Elsner. “We are fortunate that we have so many sand sources.” In the Federal Republic, there has been enough Deposits to cover the demand in the country. Thanks to the partially up to the ice age back trackable sand sources, we do not need to import these raw materials – which would be not only expensive, but also bad for the environment.

Infinite Supplies?

How long but our sand-rich sources? “Until now, it has managed none of the serious work out,” says Elsner. Geologically, the stock should be enough for several thousand years. However, we do not come, because of our already built-up areas of each source. However, the accessible would have to Happen according to Elsner for many decades, if not centuries, to be sufficient.

In Germany, a lot is built – as it is here in Hamburg

This finding is particularly excited about the construction industry, which is a massive Sand and gravel. So, there are estimates that the German economy would come within a week to a Standstill, should produce in the construction industry, no Sand and no gravel. In 2016, were sold Sand and gravel to a value of 1.6 billion euros, Elsner. Not with the tens of millions of tons of quartz sand with a value of 212 million Euro, and the resulting products are included.

China is the largest sand consumer

To keep our standard of living in modern houses and good roads, not play Sand so to a significant role. It is similar in other Parts of the world: people Everywhere build – higher, further, better. “We assume that China consumes quite a large margin on most of the Sand,” says BGR expert. Thereafter, the large industrialised countries and cities: USA, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore – and in Europe, especially Germany.

In many countries, but it is not so easy to get the required building sand: the desert sand is not suitable for example to Build. The grains are ground, so they offer no support. Two entrepreneurs from Thuringia have developed a method to get out of the desert sand polymer concrete that can then be used for the construction. To the masses but this is not yet.

The Arabs of Sand to sell

So even cities such as Dubai or Abu-import-Dhabi every year, thousands of tons of Sand, in order to realize your projects, even if they are surrounded by Sand. The valuable sand for construction is purchased in part, from distant Australia by boat. In order to satisfy the Bauhunger in Singapore and there is sufficient land mass for the clouds to hold scratch, imported from the island nation of Sand, for example, from neighboring countries. Previous victims were mainly Indonesian Islands. Of them are already gone more than 20. In 2007, handed it to the Indonesian government, however, is this: you put the sand shipments to Singapore. The growth of the city state this fact, but no crash. Similar applies to African coast: Zanzibar wane paradisiacal beaches so there is plenty of Sand for construction projects on the mainland.

More Expensive Habitat

German beaches are not affected by this sand robbery. It does not apply, however, another aspect of the sand hunger: sandy is, in fact, only Baurohstoff, but also provides habitat. However, the is threatened, each year. So the German Islands of Sylt, for example, are suffering winter Storms. After a windy weekend may be missing on the West coast of the island, up to 100,000 cubic metres of Sand – the equivalent of about 725 beach volleyball fields.

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Land reclamation: built On Sand?

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Land reclamation: built On Sand?

In order to protect the island from the forces of nature, is pumped each year after the flood season, about one Million cubic meters of Sand from the sea floor from the coast to the beach. The island’s marketing calls this Back-and-Forth “bizarre”. But: The method does not work. For about 40 years, the Sylter protect your island from the land-grabbing of the sea. “This is a question of cost,” said Harald Elsner, a the is sure, that today, without these measures, only a small part of the island would be left. In Sylt, the land is so valuable that the effort is worth it – in contrast to the Islands in Indonesia, not in front of the persistent sand hunger were protected.

Valuable Grains

In comparison, every single grain of value in Italy. Every year, tourists by the ton Sand, stones and shells to take home as a Souvenir of the island of Sardinia home with you. However, this is prohibited by law – apart from the long-term damage to the environment, it may cost tourists up to 3000 Euro to be Sand in the suitcase caught. “Leave them to the Sand so, please, where it belongs,” it said recently in a call to the German Embassy in Rome.

Despite all these global developments, Sand-expert Harald Elsner appeased. Sand is, in principle, a finite raw material, but: “panic in the Sand in Germany is not appropriate. An observation of global sand market, however, is certainly of interest to you.”