Sand Mafias Battle for the New Gold
Violent gangsterism and illegal operations dominate sand mining in the global south. The post Sand Mafias Battle for the New Gold appeared first on Nautilus.
Last week, two mafia groups in northeast India exchanged gunfire—and torched a half dozen earthmover machines—in a war over a natural resource. They weren’t battling over diamonds or oil: The groups were both trying to get their hands on sand.
Sometimes called “the new gold,” sand is the second most exploited natural resource in the world after fresh water. The world uses about 50 billion tons each year—twice the amount created annually in nature—and demand continues to grow. At.
