Introduction

‘One trip of sand, two trips of sand, three trips of sand……’, the children sang as they clapped their hands excitedly while they watched vehicles bringing truckloads of sand. ‘But how do these vehicles get all this sand?’, Young Tolu asked. And the children stopped clapping and gathered around Tolu. Soon, many suggestions started pouring in. Some of the children said that the sand gathered was from all the roadsides in the community, others suggested that the trips of sand were imported from other countries but none of them were sure of their answer. How then do these trips of sands come about?

Sand Mining

Sand mining involves the excavation, extraction, or removal of sand from an open pit usually known as a sand pit, from beaches and inland dunes; it also refers to the extraction of sand from ocean or river beds by dredging. Sand mining is important in our world today because sand is used in the construction of roads, bridges, and other modern infrastructures. Sand is also used in the production of glass products such as windows, mirrors, bottles, etc. Sand mining in Nigeria is believed to have started in the 1960s in Bariga Local Government of Lagos state when it was in high demand. Some places where sand mining occurs in Nigeria include Ughelli, Warri, and Asaba in Delta State, Ikot Ekpene and Oron in Akwa Ibom State, Sagamu, Ijebu Ode, and Abeokuta in Ogun State, Eleme and Obio in Rivers State, and Ogbomosho and Iseyin in Oyo State.

The Importance of Sand Mining

Sand mining is essential because of the high demands for products obtained from sand, given that it may pose a great risk to the environment if it is not regulated by the government. Illegal and unregulated sand mining (excavation of sand from places without a mining license, or without approval from government agencies), can lead to erosion due to excessive mining, uneven land mass and disturbance, and disruption of habitats of some living organisms, particularly in sand mining from oceans, along the river beds and beaches. 

The Government’s Influence on Sand Mining

Some approved government agencies who are responsible for issuing licenses and operational permits in Nigeria include the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR), which is responsible for sand dealing activities in Lagos State, which includes issuing operational permits to persons and corporations and also monitoring sand mining operations, and the National Inland Waterway Authority (NIWA) are responsible for collecting license fees from sand miners who are mainly operating in Inland waters. However, the Mines and Steel Development Ministry, a ministry in Nigeria established in 1985, is generally responsible for the mining of all mineral resources in Nigeria and looks after the development and regulation of mineral resources.

Conclusion

In essence, while sand mining is essential due to its high demand in construction and other domestic purposes, it is also important to note that excessive, unregulated, and illegal mining will cause major damage to the environment which may leave irreparable consequences for a long period of time.

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