The Silica Squeeze: Why Even the Sands are Running Out

The Lead

Sand is the most consumed resource on Earth after water. But not all sand is equal. You cannot build a skyscraper or a silicon wafer with desert sand; you need the angular, high-silica sand from riverbeds and beaches. We analyze the 'Silica Squeeze'—the rising cost of construction-grade sand, the environmental devastation of river mining, and the geopolitical battle for the pure silica required for the hardware of the future.