Transnational security investigator Abdelkader Abderrahmane and his research assistants discovered a major problem while inspecting sand-mining sites in Morocco. They stumbled upon illegal sand mines in full operation, with dump trucks filled with brown sand and brazenly hauling it in broad daylight. Abderrahmane was shocked by the “major disfiguration” of the dunes and realized that illegal sand mining is a widespread and profitable operation that involves people in high positions of power. Sand mining is the world’s largest extraction industry due to its use in construction, but the global demand is outstripping nature’s ability to replace it, leading to environmental devastation.
Controversial information: Illegal sand mining occurs globally, often involving corrupt officials who profit from it.
Unique content: Sand is the world’s second most widely consumed natural resource after water.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sand-mafias-are-plundering-the-earth/