Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
France 24
France 24
World

Sand: Digging into a crisis?

Earth Mining Paris
DOWN TO EARTH © FRANCE 24

The word sand usually conjures up images of a holiday on the beach. But the fine grains also happen to be a precious commodity. Humans extract 50 billion tonnes of sand and gravel every year, making it the second most exploited resource on the planet. Can the world keep digging for more? The Down to Earth team investigates.

An insatiable appetite for sand 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
I thought testing bread makers would be easy. 36 loaves later, I may have lost the plot
Our tester pushed her love of bread, and freezer space, to the limit in pursuit of the perfect homemade loaf. Plus, the best Kindles for every budget
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
How daylight saving time changes affect you and what you can do about it
It's almost time for most Americans to set their clocks back an hour
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian Reunion Rumour: Viral 'Spotted Talking' Photo Raises Questions About Their Feud
A viral photo allegedly showing Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian talking has sparked reunion rumours, but questions remain over its authenticity
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
“Looks Like Organs”: Heidi Klum’s Grotesque Halloween Teaser Has Fans Convinced They Know Her Next Transformation
The slimy, close-up teaser for Heidi Klum’s Halloween costume this year is already making people’s stomachs churn.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
‘He’s not going to punk me. I’ll trick him’: Ali G: Who Iz I? stooge says he was in on joke but didn’t tell Sacha Baron Cohen
Exclusive: Joshua Loudermilk says suspicions first raised during filming by gun shaped like wearable plastic bottom: ‘You’re gonna put a butt on top of a butt? You can’t run in that’ • This article contains spoilers for Ali G: Who Iz I?
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Feminine desire is often ignored in sci-fi. Could that be changing?
The gun-slinging heroine of the mobile game Love and Deepspace, first released in 2024, lives on Earth in the year 2048. The planet is suffering from environment collapse and the reality-distorting effects of a spatial anomaly called the Deepspace Tunnel, which has appeared over the planet.
The Conversation
The Conversation
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play