Sand and silicates are the most extracted resources after water and, considering their extraordinary production volumes, significant risks and adverse impacts are linked to their extraction and trade. To date, OECD due diligence recommendations have not been widely applied to sand and silicates, a family of minerals extracted in nearly every country. While some multi-stakeholder efforts have emerged to raise awareness about risks in the sector, understanding and action to address them remain limited. This report examines sand and silicate supply chains and analyses RBC risks in the sector based on the OECD Minerals Guidance, the OECD Handbook for Environmental Due Diligence in Mineral Supply Chains, and other OECD standards on RBC. It provides recommendations on how companies can adopt an integrated approach to assess and address risks spanning environmental impacts, human rights abuses, conflict finance, and financial crime in addition to other risks affecting workers and communities.
The report is global in scope and examines a range of sand and silicate materials. Minerals that are often extracted from sand but do not belong to the sand and silicates family are excluded from the report, for example titanium, zirconium and other precious minerals more commonly defined as sand minerals. The research is based on a comprehensive literature review of academic, industry and policymaker sources, complemented by input from a cross-sectoral dialogue and expert interviews. Annex A provides additional detail on the methodology and scope.
