# Silica sand: Stocks

Plentiful sand, but local shortages persist

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/stocks/

What this tab covers How much is left and how much is held. For minerals and energy: reserves, current output, years of supply and recycling for the top five countries. For farm commodities: production, ending stocks and stocks-to-use for the top five producers (USDA, October 2026). It also covers inventories and stockpiles.

#### Top five countries: reserves, output and years of supply

| Country | Reserves not estimated (USGS: reserves 'large', deposits widespread) | Current output kt industrial sand and gravel (mine, 2025e) | Years of supply | Recycling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **United States** | – | 120,000 | – | n/a |
| **China** | – | 92,000 | – | n/a |
| **Netherlands** | – | 68,000 | – | n/a |
| **Turkey** | – | 14,000 | – | n/a |
| **France** | – | 13,000 | – | n/a |
| **India** | – | 12,000 | – | n/a |

 USGS MCS 2026, Sand and Gravel (Industrial), world mine production table. Years of supply = reserves ÷ current output; reserves grow as prices and technology change, so this is not a countdown.

#### Recycling

Italy also produced about 13,000 kt in 2025. Sand itself is rarely recycled, but glass cullet replaces virgin silica: about 33% of US glass containers are recycled, and some foundry and abrasive sands are reclaimed (USGS 2026). The EU end-of-life recycling input rate for silica sand is 1% (EU CRM 2023). No India rate was found.

Reserves are described only as 'large', because deposits are widespread. Scarcity is local and about quality. Zoning, land-use priorities, environmental limits and haulage make many deposits uneconomic, and the USGS expects local shortages to persist. High-purity quartz is different: reserves are limited to a few places, though China announced over 35 million t in Henan and Xinjiang in 2025. Recycling is mainly glass cullet, and about 33% of US glass containers are recycled. The EU's recycling input rate for silica sand is just 1%.

#### Recycling
 End-of-life recycling input rate in the EU: 1% of demand met from post-consumer scrap (EU CRM study 2023).

Recycled glass cullet is a significant source of reused silica; about 33% of US glass containers are recycled.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/production/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/industrial_sand/links/index.md)