Egypt may not be a petroleum-rich country that has built its economy on oil, but it is certainly endowed with an abundance of high-quality mineral resources that are in global demand. Yet, oil continues to dominate both media attention and public discourse. Among Egypt’s lesser-known natural treasures is glass sand, commercially known as silica sand. This particular type of sand, composed primarily of quartz (SiO₂), is crucial to various industries. What sets the Egyptian raw material apart is its high purity, bright white colour, and low iron oxide content, as confirmed by chemical and mechanical specifications attached to each export shipment.
Glass sand is primarily extracted in two regions: Abu Zenima in Sinai and al-Zaafarana in the Red Sea. Current figures indicate that al-Zaafarana alone hosts around 20 quarries, producing over 200 tonnes per day, most of which was exported before the global financial crisis. Now, the focus has shifted to supplying local glass manufacturers. Quarry operators in Sinai—most of whom are foreign companies—made a strategic decision to operate near al-Arish port, significantly reducing shipping costs by nearly two-thirds. In contrast, Egyptian investors operating in al-Zaafarana face a logistical disadvantage, as their nearest port is Damietta. This raises transport costs to roughly 70% of the export price, which ranges between £E95 and £E123 per tonne depending on purity levels, while local manufacturers—mainly in Cairo and 10th of Ramadan—pay between £E44 and £E48 per tonne. Limited available statistics suggest that Egypt’s total glass sand production reached around 1.3 million cubic metres in 2007, with nearly 80% of that volume exported.
Engineer Wagih Salama, chairman of Labatchi International Mining, argues that ‘the domestic price should not fall below £E40 to £E45 per tonne (quarry delivery) under normal conditions’. Salama attributes the current instability in the mining sector—particularly in his field of glass sand quarrying—to the lack of specialisation and competence among investors entering the market. This, he says, devalues the raw material, lowers prices, and results in oversupply to local factories, with no coordination among quarry operators. The situation has led to prices falling below extraction costs. Adding to the problem, he points out the chronic transportation issues caused by the lack of properly maintained roads for lorries, despite local municipalities collecting substantial annual fees from quarry operations.
Exporting glass sand comes with its own set of challenges. Foreign investors dominate quarrying in Sinai, where the geographical advantage facilitates shipping. As a result, they control the majority of Egypt’s glass sand exports, limiting opportunities for smaller, often inexperienced, local investors. Salama suggests that the government should extend its ‘export incentives programme’ to glass sand, encouraging local suppliers to enter the global market rather than prioritising subsidies for other, potentially less valuable, raw materials. This, he argues, is particularly crucial as global demand for glass sand has declined due to the financial crisis and local price wars, exacerbated by delayed payments from factory owners.
A fundamental flaw in the industry is its reliance on exporting raw, unprocessed glass sand, with no added value through purification, washing, or smelting. This practice leads to the loss of significant potential revenue, as the material is shipped abroad in its cheapest, least profitable form. Even in this aspect, foreign investors maintain control, preferring to carry out value-added processes outside Egypt, effectively draining the country of its mineral wealth at minimal cost. Legally, glass sand extraction falls under the jurisdiction of the ‘Building Materials Chamber – Sand Division’. However, investors in the sector have repeatedly raised their concerns with the chamber to no avail. Since the beginning of this year, they have been awaiting a response from the Minister of Trade—one that has yet to arrive—leaving Egypt’s mineral resources to continue being squandered in an all-too-familiar pattern of neglect.
This article is originally published by AlBorsa in Arabic and later AI-translated by South Push.