Saudi Arabia, a desert nation with an abundance of sand, faces an unexpected challenge when it comes to construction. It imports sand from other countries. This may come as a surprise, considering the country’s vast deserts. However, the type of sand found in Saudi Arabia’s deserts is not suitable for construction purposes.
Construction projects heavily rely on sand, making it the second most used natural commodity globally, just behind water. However, sand granules found in Saudi Arabia’s deserts have smooth edges, rendering them useless for construction. What construction concrete requires are jagged edged sand particles, which are found in river sand. Even beach sand falls short as a construction material due to its high salt content. As a result, river sand is in high demand worldwide, and the supply remains limited. Moreover, it takes hundreds of years for rivers to produce sufficient sand.
Covering an area of 2.2 million square kilometers, Saudi Arabia is primarily desert terrain. The Rub’al-Khali, the world’s largest and driest sand desert, dominates the country’s landscape. With less than 7% of its land suitable for cultivation.
With the growing demand for construction materials worldwide, the scarcity of river sand becomes apparent, highlighting its significance in construction projects. Despite its desert landscapes, Saudi Arabia relies on imports to meet its sand requirements.
