New Zealand’s sand shortage grows, and demand is not slowing down. The crisis has been building over recent years, but by Christmas 2024, Auckland had run out of sand for construction. Sand is a critical resource in New Zealand’s construction industry, used not only in concrete but as bedding for roads and pipes and in a host of other applications.
Auckland, as a rapidly growing city, is particularly exposed to sand supply issues. Traditionally, sand has been sourced from both riverbeds and coastal locations, where extraction has also provided the benefit of flood mitigation. Growing demand and environmental pressures have made a secure supply increasingly difficult.
Key sand extraction operations, especially off the coast near Mangawhai, have seen their resource consents delayed or declined, slashing supply from traditional sources.
Where previously half of Auckland’s sand came from the region’s north coast, this is now down to less than a third due to regulatory and court decisions.
Activist pressure and environmental concerns about both river and land extraction add further hurdles, with one-third of extraction consents impacted by these policy changes.
“Yet removing sand and gravel from rivers is a flood-protection measure which deluged residents, most recently in Tasman, urge their councils to do,” AQA CEO Wayne Scott says.
The Aggregate and Quarry Association (AQA) and industry leaders recognise the potential of manufactured sand (crushed from virgin rock or stone, not traditional crusher dust) to offset natural sand shortages. However, its adoption is still in the early stages; currently, manufactured sand accounts for only 5-10% of the national supply and is mostly used in concrete production.
Manufactured sand is currently only able to meet a fraction of New Zealand’s need for sand, and naturally-sourced supplies will be required for many years, says the Aggregate and Quarry Association.
The process has high energy demands, which lead to higher economic and environmental costs, especially if the sand is transported long distances.
He says coastal-sourced sand is contentious in New Zealand, but in places such as England, which have similar environmental protections, it provides 20% of supply. “Most of the sand on coastlines comes from rivers and is replenished.”
Until recently, half of Auckland’s sand needs came from its north coast, barged into the city. Some of the alternative sand is river-sourced, which again can have its opponents.
Wayne Scott says, like many rock quarries, resource consent applications to extract sand from a quarry are often opposed by nearby neighbours.
“Councils have to weigh up those voices against the need for a critical resource for the growth of their districts. They certainly shouldn’t believe another solution is at hand.”
He says while manufactured sand will likely develop its current market of 5-10% of New Zealand’s sand requirements, it is no magic bullet. “We will need a strong supply of naturally-sourced sand for many years yet.”
Industry leaders are calling for urgent interim government action to resolve stalled resource consents and issues around vital coastal and river sand extraction sites, continued investment in manufactured sand technology while acknowledging its limitations in replacing natural sand in the short to medium term, and strategic policy planning that treats sand as a critical resource for economic development, as emphasized by international bodies like the United Nations.
Without swift action to address these bottlenecks, critical construction across the North Island could face worsening delays and rising costs, jeopardising the future of New Zealand’s infrastructure and growth.
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