The illegal Sand mining on many reserved beaches of Sierra Leone has started becoming an alarming issue in Sierra Leone. There have been reported issues on this illegal act which people know but yet pretend it is not against the law. At present, Mahera Beach Community in Lunsar has also been hit by this illegal act. 

Sand mining is the process of extracting sand, typically from an open pit (or sand pit), but it can also involve mining from inland dunes, beaches, and inland seabeds. Sand is frequently used in industry, such as in concrete or as an abrasive. It is also used to icy and snowy roads, typically in a salt-water mixture to reduce the melting point of the road surface. Coastal erosion can be repaired with sand. Purity requirements vary depending on the application; for instance, sand used in concrete must be free of seashell fragments.

Rutile, ilmenite, and zircon, which include the industrially important elements titanium and zirconium, can be extracted through sand mining. Beach sand may also contain garnet, leucoxene, sillimanite, and monazite in addition to these minerals.

The deposits of common sand frequently contain these minerals. Using a procedure called elutriation, the grains are divided according to their size, shape, and density by flowing water.

Sand mining affects the surrounding animals and contributes to erosion. Numerous animals rely on sandy beaches for their nesting clutches, and in India, mining has almost completely wiped off the gharials (a species of crocodile). Turbidity in the water is a problem for creatures like coral that depend on sunlight because it results from disturbance of underwater and coastal sand. Additionally, it can ruin fisheries, which would hurt their operators financially.

When physical coastal barriers like dunes are removed, oceanfront settlements can occasionally flood, and the devastation of beautiful beaches decreases tourism. In many regions, sand mining is officially prohibited, although it is frequently done anyhow. Sand can cost up to per cubic yard, making it a $70 billion industry globally.

But because of illicit mining activities, Mahera Beach Community in Lungi is currently experiencing the worst case scenario in recent years. Ibrahim Barrie, Station Manager of Sea Coach Express, Lungi, expressed his dissatisfaction with the continuous illicit sand mining in the neighborhood in a statement to this outlet. “We have repeatedly complained to the government, those who make decisions, stakeholders, and the Sierra Leone Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-SL), but to no avail. The illicit sand mining method is currently on the verge of ruining our company.” He spoke.

They are disgruntled and dissatisfied with the current state of the beach, according to Alpha Conteh, also known as Base Man, the youth chairman of the Mahera Beach Community. Additionally, the government and other line ministers had to help them. “Our homes are in danger, our properties are under siege, and our family are in complete terror due to the unlawful sand mining. It’s quite terrible that this problem is unprecedented. We are tired of our Lungi stakeholders’ constant holdups in their attempts to avert the impending calamity. We won’t have any choice but to hold a sizable protest in the coming days.” He endorsed.

All impact had, however, been felt by Masoila’s Chairman of Tipper Ground, Lungi. No reaction, though. In order to preserve their environment from man-made calamity, the Honorable Member of Parliament, Consistency 077, Abdul Kargbo also met with a hostile community and calmed them while expressing high hopes for a positive conclusion within the upcoming days.