The Egyptian Black Sand Company (EBSC) submitted a study to the presidency on exploiting the white sand in the Eastern and Western Deserts. The study estimated potential revenues of $100m per year.
The head of the company, Ashraf Sultan, told Daily News Egypt that Egypt’s reserves of white sand are 780m tonnes, including 260m tonnes in the Eastern Desert, 268m tonnes in Sinai, and 252m tonnes in the Western Desert.
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi included the white sand project in his presidential programme in 2014, within the framework of the economic vision to invest in the mineral wealth wasted for thousands of years and preserve the wealth exported abroad, which lost Egypt billions of pounds. Al-Sisi said that the establishment of factories for these resources and their exploitation creates jobs for Sinai youth and the areas where these resources are located.
Egyptian sand silica is one of the finest sand types in the world. It is used in many industries, such as crystal and flat glass. The sand can enter into the ceramic and porcelain industry. The cries of the owners of factories to stop the export of raw sand have echoed to preserve Egypt’s mineral wealth.
Sultan pointed out that the study includes the inventory of sites where white sands exist, the requirements of extracting silicon from the white sands and its introduction into industries, the losses incurred by Egypt annually for non-exploitation, and the proceeds from exploitation of white sand.
“In a few years, Egypt could become one of the largest producers of glass products, and with little effort we can export these products,” he said.
Finally, he noted that the benefit of white sand includes the establishment of national factories owned by Egyptians and attracting Arab and foreign investors to set up new factories that provide employment opportunities for young people.
