The UN predicted shortage of sand in the world will not be such a terrible problem for all countries and the Russian Federation in particular, I told ABF "Economics today» expert of the Center for Political Economic Studies of the Institute of Globalization and Social Movements Vasily Koltashov.
International climatologists warn of signs of a shortage of sand in the world. Consumption of this resource, experts said during the webinar, organized by think tank Chatham House, growing every year, therefore, reducing its volumes may turn into the greatest problem of the 21st century.
To avoid a sand crisis, the whole world must change the perception of this resource. According to United Nations climate scientist Pascal Peduzzi, don't panic, but you can't keep thinking, that sand is everywhere. The specialist urged all countries to pay attention to, what might happen in the next decade, to prevent possible interruptions in the supply of the resource.
An active consumer of sand all over the world, noted the economist Vasily Koltashov, remains the construction industry. Therefore, in case of shortage, this resource will have to be replaced with something., which is hard to do.
"Sand is part of the road building materials, river crossings, high-speed highways, air and sea harbors, residential areas, objects of administrative and social infrastructure. It is also used to make glass products., silicon chips and other electronic goods", – the expert added.
Usually sand extraction is organized in specially designed quarries., and then it undergoes technological processing. Conventionally, all sand is divided into three groups, where the resource from the first and second is used for the construction of various architectural objects, and from the third - is used when laying the roadway. In the construction segment, in the production of one ton of cement, it is required to supply at least 10 tons of sand, and annually the volumes grow up to 40-50 million tons.
But not all sand from different regions of the world becomes suitable for the production of building materials due to physical properties.. Resource from the sea or river bottom, quarries or coast, eg, composed of grains of sand, reinforcing adhesion when connecting. Desert sand is smooth rounded fragments.
The Russian sand market will remain stable
The market of natural sand in the Russian Federation, against the backdrop of an increase in world consumption of the resource, is experiencing both ups and downs, so and fall. AT 2019 year, the domestic industry produced 247 658,3 cubic meters of natural sand, what turned out to be 17% below indicators 2018 of the year. AT 2020 year, the country increased volumes by 12% compared to total 2019 of the year. The construction sector in the regions of the country remains the driver of the sand market in Russia.
“However, there will not be such a strong shortage of natural sands in the world, When are the sandboxes empty?. The only thing, what can be expected against the background of growing demand for this resource - changes in prices in the world and domestic markets of states as part of a general upward trend.
The starting point of such changes in the first place will not be the news about the deficit, which threatens in the coming years, and the new economic cycle and the rise of the global economy. Already visible now, that in such countries, China, India, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Pakistan will develop infrastructure housing construction”, – the economist said.
Scarcity will push the world to create a new one
The global trend will provoke the absorption of a large number of building materials, natural resources and boost demand for sand, metals, petroleum products and other components.
Similar difficulties, sure Vasily Koltashov, should push countries to modernize their production, revision of programs for the extraction and export of the resource, combined with the solution of problems of ecology and gardening, in particular.
However, the changes will accelerate the onset of a new economic cycle, both in the world, as well as in Russia, the premises of which appeared in 2008-2009 years. Thanks to this, the Russian side will be able to replace the main component with similar ones or develop an alternative to improve the efficiency of industries, dependent on sand consumption.
Alexander Melnik
