The fast extraction and depletion of the sand resource, both from marine beds and arable lands, and its associated environmental degradation, demands the urgent need for alternative sources of sand, Prof.
Michael Affam has said.He has, therefore, called for innovative alternatives, using mine rock waste to reverse the trend.Prof.
Affram, who is the Dean of the Office of Research, Innovation and Consultancy at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, in the Western Region, warned that the present extraction of sand was rapidly threatening our critical national resources.He made these observations on Thursday at UMaT when he delivered a Professorial inaugural lecture on the topic: "Ore Sand: Critical Circular Solution to Address Huge Mine Waste Challenges and Fine Aggregate Scarcity."Prof.
Affram said the extensive sand resources utilisation for various human activities had attracted critical global concerns.Interestingly, he said, huge mine waste rock sit idle in most mining centres in Ghana, thus necessitating the quest for its re-use as alternative resource to close the gap in the sand-demand curve.He continued "Technical specification of the material is good, it will create job for the teaming youth and could bust economies of mining communities.
