There is an urgent need to manage the environmental and social risks associated with the extraction and use of sand and silicate materials. These materials are essential for many industries but extracted in vast quantities and can lead to significant environmental degradation and social issues.
The Global Centre for Minerals Security's (GCMS) Responsible Sand and Silicates Initiative aims to develop a comprehensive approach to managing these materials’ extraction and supply chains. We are building a multi-stakeholder coalition and curating an open innovation process to develop and implement due diligence methods tailored to sand and silicates.
Addressing the social and environmental impacts of sand extraction is becoming more urgent.
- Sand and silicates are the worlds’ most extracted solid raw material
- Demand is growing
- There is currently no viable substitute
We are at a pivotal moment. The paradigm of cheap, abundant sand, that is readily available and sourced without consequences is becoming untenable.
More about the initiative
Our transformation goal
We aim to catalyse a fundamental shift in how sand and silicates are produced and consumed. We want to ensure that social and environmental risks in sand and silicate supply chains are systematically identified and managed. We are doing so by:
- Adapting and promoting established due diligence standards specifically for sand and silicates.
- Engaging in an inclusive, multi-stakeholder dialogue with sand and silicate supply chain actors
- Building knowledge of social and environmental risks in sand and silicate supply chains
How we work
Sand and silicates are extracted across the globe and implicate multiple industries. Addressing social and environmental risks in this context presents a wicked problem. We are approaching this challenge through an open innovation lens; meaning we encourage sharing of ideas, knowledge and resources across organisational boundaries, involving a diverse range of stakeholders. This commitment to open innovation reflects our belief that collaborative problem-solving and shared ownership of outcomes are essential for achieving systemic and long-lasting impact in sustainable resource management.
Works completed to date
Our team has engaged with sand and silicates in many capacities:
- We worked with the Development Minerals at the United Nations Development Programme.
- Our team was involved in the sand and sustainability challenge at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP 2019, 2022).
Since its inception in 2022, the Initiative has made significant strides in laying the groundwork for new sustainable sand and silicate sourcing practices to emerge.
- We conducted a scoping study in collaboration with Inter-IKEA. we conducted scoping work on the governance, social, and environmental risks in sand and silicate supply chains.
- We held dedicated a partner session at the 16th OECD Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains in April 2023, where we invited a conversation about responsible sourcing of sand and silicates for the first time at the Forum. This session (PDF, 303.4 KB) confirmed the necessity to develop a pathway to due diligence for these materials, and given that “all are small players” in this sector, the route to success would lead through a rich dialogue between various stakeholders, including the mining sector, downstream industries, and civil society. a rich dialogue between various stakeholders, including the mining sector, downstream industries, and civil society.
We are currently preparing a baseline study of governance, social and environmental risks in sand and silicate supply chains, commissioned by the OECD Secretariat and supported by the Inter-IKEA and Roca Group. We are developing the study through an iterative desktop review process and multistakeholder dialogue with our partners. Anticipated launch: early 2025.
As part of the baselining effort, we returned to the 17th OECD Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains in May 2024 in the first-ever plenary session held on the topic at the Forum (see slides (PDF, 1.7 MB) and summary and in a partner session where we shared preliminary findings and discussed the way forward based on experiences of other responsible mineral sourcing platforms and the peculiarities of sand and silicates consumption and production.
Our dialogues at the Forum reached a key conclusion articulated in a position paper (PDF, 190.9 KB): it is time to progress toward a formal, responsible sand and silicates initiative that develops and validates market instruments for responsible sourcing practices.
Objectives for 2024-2025
We are steadily progressing towards our new goal of establishing a formal multi-stakeholder coalition dedicated to responsible sand and silicate sourcing.
Building on achievements to date, our current aims for laying the groundwork for such a platform are to:
- Consolidate a shared understanding of the path forward on standards, labels, or certifications.
- Produce materials to support business development and fundraising for the multistakeholder coalition to consolidate into a fully-fledged partnership initiative.
- Work towards the launch of the baseline study, to be published by the OECD in early 2025, including additional outreach, communications and engagement.
- Continue positioning the Global Centre for Mineral Security as a facilitator and connector for interested stakeholders and potential partners.
- Build stronger interconnection with our sister OreSand Initiative, which works in tandem on the sand and sustainability challenges by catalysing process innovations in the mining world to co-produce suitable forms of sand and silicates that can substitute sources of natural sand and silicates while also avoiding the production of mine tailings. Learn more about the OreSand Inititiave
Follow Louise Gallagher's LinkedIn profile for progress and to receives updates
Key research priorities
While we are currently laying down some practical infrastructure needed for the initiative to scale, we have identified three key research needs to be pursued in future efforts by our group:
- Supply Chain Mapping: The baseline report will provide high-level knowledge about sand and silicate supply chains. Building on this, the initiative aims to develop more in-depth descriptions of typical supply chains by industry and geography, understanding the typical risks at each step. This will assist in understanding the interconnectedness of supply chains and identifying the major players involved.
- Certification and Labelling co-design: There is a strong desire among some dialogue group members to demonstrate adherence to good practice in sand and silicate sourcing. There is a need to map and assess existing industry programs, standards, or certifications applicable to sand and silicates.
- Co-development of Due Diligence Methods: On-the-ground learning connected to industry practices, co-develop and test due diligence methods tailored specifically for sand and silicates. Current methods used for other minerals, such as gold or cobalt, may not be fully appropriate. This action will ensure that due diligence processes are relevant and effective for the unique characteristics of sand and silicate supply chains.
The Responsible Sand and Silicates Initiative aims to deliver pragmatic transformative outcomes in the sustainable sourcing of sand and silicates.
Our potential for impact is twofold, comprising immediate, attributable outcomes and broader, long-term contributions within the ecosystem of stakeholders addressing this global challenge.
We have already laid a strong foundation for change by bringing together a group of motivated stakeholders and establishing a comprehensive baseline of the knowledge necessary to take the next steps. If we can successfully leverage what we have built so far, we will be the first initiative to systematically integrate sand and silicates into established mineral due diligence frameworks, providing companies with clear, actionable direction for responsible sourcing. This pioneering effort moves beyond the current ad hoc, company-by-company approach.
In the long term, our initiative aims to contribute to a broader shift towards responsible resource management in the marketplace for sand and silicates.
The Responsible Sand and Silicates Initiative can enable tangible improvements in industry practices. By integrating sand and silicates into established due diligence frameworks, we not only enhance the sustainability of these supply chains but also set a systemic change in motion. This initiative offers a unique opportunity to tackle a range of urgent global challenges. Responsible sourcing of sand and silicates has the potential for a positive impact on human rights concerns, CO2 emissions, biodiversity, social equity, and mineral security due to the material volumes involved and their ubiquitous use across major economic sectors worldwide.
The initiative is led by a dedicated team from The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute, with extensive experience in sustainable minerals sourcing and environmental management.
This team brings together expertise in mineral security, sustainable development, and responsible sourcing, with a proven track record in conducting impactful research and facilitating stakeholder-led innovation processes.
Professor Daniel Franks
Director, Global Centre for Minerals Security
View Daniel Franks' research profile
Dr Louise Gallagher
Project manager and research co-lead
View Louise Gallagher's research profile
Mr Daniel Holm
Project research co-lead
View Daniel Holm's profile
The initiative collaborates with various partners, including corporate entities, international organisations, and civil society groups. These partnerships are crucial for leveraging expertise, resources, and networks to advance responsible sand and silicate sourcing.
- The OECD Secretariat commissioned the baseline study into governance, social and environmental risks in sand and silicate supply chains.
- Inter IKEA: A primary corporate supporter, contributing financial resources and engaging actively in baseline study development, stakeholder dialogue and public meetings.
- Roca Group: A primary corporate supporter, actively participating in developing the baseline study and stakeholder dialogue, contributing insights on ceramics and sanitary ware sector, as well as previous experiences developing effective, industry-appropriate sustainability standards.
Other dialogue participants include:
- Cary Group
- Mercedes Benz
- Mota Ceramic Solutions (MCS)
- WWF (World Wildlife Fund)
- CSC (Concrete Sustainability Council)
Sustainable Minerals Institute’s role
The University of Queensland (UQ) Sustainable Minerals Institute facilitates coordination, and management of the initiative and leads on research.
Contact us
To learn more about the initative or to get involved please contact us.
Dr Louise Gallagher
Project manager and co-lead,
Global Centre for Minerals Security
Sustainable Minerals Institute
louise.gallagher@uq.edu.au Geneva, Switzerland / CET
Professor Daniel Franks
Director, Global Centre for Minerals Security
Sustainable Minerals Institute
The Responsible Sourcing of Sand and Silicates initiative sits within the Global Centre for Minerals Security (GCMS).