COMPAMIR
High-Purity Fact Pipeline
High-Purity Fact Pipeline
UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Global Resource Information Database Geneva (GRID-Geneva)
Global, with focus on Southeast Asia
May 19, 2026
Verified: May 19, 2026
"Global sand mining reaches 50 billion metric tons annually, exceeding natural replenishment. Excessive extraction threatens ecosystems, coastal defenses, and local livelihoods. Southeast Asia is identified as a hotspot for unsustainable sand extraction and land reclamation."
Author: Vince Beiser
Vince Beiser provides a comprehensive investigation into how sand has become the most consumed natural resource after water, detailing the environmental devastation and the geopolitical conflicts driven by the global construction boom.
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