Vanishing Sands

Orrin H. Pilkey is Emeritus James B. Duke Professor of Earth and Ocean Sciences at Duke University and the author and coauthor of many books.Norma J. Longo, a geologist and photographer, is coauthor with Pilkey of several books on coastal issues.William J. Neal, Emeritus Professor of Geology at Grand Valley State University, is an expert on ocean and Great Lakes shoreline evolution and coauthor of many books with Pilkey.Nelson G. Rangel-Buitrago is Professor in the Geology, Geophysics, and Marine-Research Group at the Universidad del AtlÁntico, Barranquilla, Colombia, and a prolific author of coastal science studies.Keith C. Pilkey, an attorney concerned with legal issues of coastal development, is coauthor of two books about sea level rise.Hannah L. Hayes is a scholar of changing land rights, disaster capitalism, and risk management in Barbuda and Fiji.

"The authors combine their enthralling case studies with actionable suggestions: governments should buy coastal lands 'to create management units,' for instance. Beachgoers, policymakers, and builders alike will something to consider in this shocking study." (Publishers Weekly) "An informative, detailed, extensively documented scholarly examination of sand mining and its associated issues that will appeal to geologists, environmentalists, and those concerned about climate change." - Sue O'Brien (Library Journal) "Dozens of references in each chapter and a detailed index make this an important addition to academic collections that support work in geology, socioeconomics, politics, ecology, and environmental justice. Highly recommended. All readers." - A. S. Ricker (Choice) "Coastal dwellers and tourists alike will find this exposition to be of relevance in the protection of their properties and recreational sites. In a word, this book has wide appeal to diverse populations that have interest in coastal environments where there are beach and dune sands that need protection form robbers of their coastal sand heritage. As far as this book is concerned, perhaps the most that can be said is to buy it, read it, and learn how to protect this valuable coastal resource."- Charles W. Finkl (Journal of Coastal Research) "The authors present this issue in a direct way, holding my interest with their personal accounts of sand mining activities they have experienced. The target audience is not only environmentalists but anyone who appreciates and values sandy beaches and dunes around the world." - Jacqueline Stagner (International Journal of Environmental Studies) "Vanishing Sands is a rich collection of the diverse intersection between sand mining and its detrimental effects on society and the environment. It provides numerous impulses for further research on various academic fields’ relationship with sand extraction, such as epidemiology, environmental history, archeology, and law, to name a few. Thus, Vanishing Sands is a critical read for anyone who engages in the interdisciplinary and transnational research of our planet’s coasts and cares about the protection of our beaches."- Henrik Jaron Schneider (E3W Review of Books) "Vanishing Sands is a quality introduction to the ecological and social challenges created by sand mining. As demand for concrete continues to grow, the cases presented in the text will only become more relevant. Geographers interested in exploring sand mining will find Vanishing Sands a sound launching point for deeper investigation." - Noel Vineyard (Geographical Review)

• Preface  ixAcknowledgments  xv1. Who’s Mining the Shore?  12. Sand: Earth’s Most Remarkable Mineral Resource  213. Singapore Sand Bandits: Sitting on Asia’s Sandpile  434. The Sands of Crime: Mafia, Sand Robbers, and Law Benders  565. Sand Rivers to the Beach: Choked Flow  776. Barbuda and Other Islands: Lessons from the Caribbean  977. A Summoner’s Thirteen Tales: South America’s Coastal Sand Mining  1188. A Different Kind of Sand Mining: Legal but Destructive  1439. Africa Sands: Desert Abundance-Coastal Dearth  16710. Beach Mining: Truths and Solutions  185Appendix A. Sand Mining Violent Events  195Appendix B. Sand Rights: Bringing Back Reason  197References  201Contributors  233Index  235