Sand mining

Sand mining is the extraction of sand, mainly through an open pit (or sand pit)^{[1][failed verification][2]} but sometimes mined from beaches and inland dunes or dredged from ocean and river beds.^[3] Sand is often used in manufacturing, for example as an abrasive or in concrete. It is also used on icy and snowy roads usually mixed with salt, to lower the melting point temperature, on the road surface. Sand can replace eroded coastline.^[4] Some uses require higher purity than others; for example sand used in concrete must be free of seashell fragments.

Sand mining presents opportunities to extract rutile, ilmenite, and zircon, which contain the industrially useful elements titanium and zirconium. Besides these minerals, beach sand may also contain garnet, leucoxene, sillimanite, and monazite.^[5]

These minerals are quite often found in ordinary sand deposits. A process known as elutriation is used, whereby flowing water separates the grains based on their size, shape, and density.

Sand mining is a direct cause of erosion, and impacts the local wildlife.^[6] Various animals depend on sandy beaches for nesting clutches, and mining has led to the near extinction of gharials (a species of crocodilian) in India. Disturbance of underwater and coastal sand causes turbidity in the water, which is harmful for organisms like coral that need sunlight. It can also destroy fisheries, financially harming their operators.

Removal of physical coastal barriers, such as dunes, sometimes leads to flooding of beachside communities, and the destruction of picturesque beaches causes tourism to dissipate. Sand mining is regulated by law in many places, but is often done illegally.^[7] Globally, it is a $70 billion industry, with sand selling at up to $90 per cubic yard.^[8]