Social ecology of artisanal sand mining in the Niger River around Bamako, Mali.

Sand, shaping both natural waterways and urban infrastructure, has recently seen a major surge in extraction, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions like West Africa. To assess the organization, quantification, and socio-ecological implications of sand mining around Mali's capital Bamako, we employed a mixed methods approach including structured and unstructured interviews, truck counts, turbidity analyses, and river depth measurements. Our study identified five artisanal systems for mining sand and gravel from the Niger River, using tied-up pirogues, single pirogues, carts, tractors, and trucks.

Sand mining deteriorates soil fertility and farming livelihoods around Accra, Ghana.

Urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa requires vast quantities of sand to meet infrastructural demands. In Accra, Ghana, sand mining occurs predominantly on farmlands at the city's periphery. We selected three study communities to assess the effects of sand mining on agriculture using interviews with local farmers and soil analyses of mined and unmined fields.