Measuring Illegal Sand Mining in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

Nov 5

2 min read

Measuring illegal sand mining in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. Estimating illegal mining as the gap between actual riverbed extraction and the allowable rate set by provincial government, the study finds the illegal volume fell from 16.7 to 15.5 Mm3/yr between 2013 and 2018-2020. Kai Wan Yuen, Edward Park, Dung Duc Tran (HAPRI Senior Research Associate) and colleagues. Illustrative photograph: on a wide brown river in the Mekong Delta, a suction dredge pours wet sand into a low wooden barge while two workers with shovels level the load. The far bank has coconut palms and stilt houses under an overcast sky.

Measuring Illegal Sand Mining in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

www.hapri.org

Dung Duc Tran — Senior Research Associate

A study co-authored by Dung Duc Tran (HAPRI Senior Research Associate) and colleagues quantifies the illegal sand mining rate in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, a major riverbed sand mining hotspot. It finds that the volume of illegally mined sand fell only slightly between 2013 and 2018-2020.

Context

Sand is a vital ingredient for modern structures, and to meet demand a substantial volume of sand is extracted illegally from riverbeds around the world. The Vietnamese Mekong Delta, one of the largest deltas in Asia, has a long history of riverbed sand mining.

*Raising the allowable rate reduced illegal mining*

Methods

The authors estimated the illegal sand mining rate as the difference between the actual volume of sand mined and the allowable rate of sand extraction set by the provincial government.

Key findings

The volume of illegally mined sand decreased from 16.7 million cubic metres a year in 2013 to 15.5 million cubic metres a year in 2018-2020.
An increase in the allowable rate of sand extraction, from 11.5 to 15.1 million cubic metres a year, reduced the volume of illegally mined sand.
The authors recommend that scientific research be conducted to assess the allowable rates of sand extraction and the volume of sand reserve.

Bar chart: Volume extracted minus allowable rate, by province, 2013. An Giang — Extracted minus allowable: 5.80; Dong Thap — Extracted minus allowable: 8.95; Vinh Long — Extracted minus allowable: 1.92; Soc Trang — Extracted minus allowable: -3.35; Tra Vinh — Extracted minus allowable: -0.70; Ben Tre — Extracted minus allowable: -5.06. Below zero: extraction stayed under the allowable rate. Can Tho has no allowable rate. Tien Giang is not shown. Source: Yuen, Park, Tran et al. (2024), Communications Earth & Environment, Table 1. — *Most illegal sand mining: Dong Thap, then An Giang. Source: Yuen, Park, Tran et al. (2024), Communications Earth & Environment, Table 1.*

Dot chart: Extraction minus allowable rate, by province, 2013 and 2018–2020. An Giang — 2013: 5.80; An Giang — 2018–2020: 3.27; Dong Thap — 2013: 8.95; Dong Thap — 2018–2020: 11.97. Other provinces are not shown. Source: Yuen, Park, Tran et al. (2024), Communications Earth & Environment, Table 1. — *Mining above the allowed rate fell in An Giang, rose in Dong Thap. Source: Yuen, Park, Tran et al. (2024), Communications Earth & Environment, Table 1.*

Keywords:

Illegal Sand Mining
Vietnamese Mekong Delta
Riverbed Sand Extraction
Sand Mining Regulation
Water Management

Link:

https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-01161-1

Citation:

Yuen, K. W., Park, E., Tran, D. D., Loc, H. H., Feng, L., Wang, J., Gruel, C., & Switzer, A. D. (2024). Extent of illegal sand mining in the Mekong Delta. Communications Earth & Environment, 5(1), 31.