Silica sand exports to produce billions

The export of silica sand could produce a huge cash flow to Suriname. Silica Sand is quartz that over time, through the work of water and wind, has been broken down into tiny granules. Several Canadian entrepreneurs who are united in Tibiti Minerals have made preparations to start exporting silica sand in January 2019. Investment Banker John van Dijk pointed out that this industry has an annual output of about USD 3 billion.

“We are talking aboutUSD 2 to 3 billion per year. That is 3 times the size of Alcoa,” said Van Dijk. The entrepreneurs can’t believe that the silica sand is readily available in Suriname while the construction sector is looking for base material for the construction and oil sector. The Canadian delegation will discuss its plans with government officials this week. The preparations are already in an advanced phase and the investors have already made their calculations regarding the silica sand reserves that are in the area where Tibiti Minerals wants to establish a mine. “The objective is to establish a large scale silica sand mine in the Tibiti region and to build a transshipment harbor at the Coppenamepunt so that the product can be exported in bigger ships to America and the entire Caribbean region,” said Van Dijk who has ‘invited’ the Canadian investigators to Suriname. Van Dijk pointed out that there is a huge demand for silica sand in the world and that buyers are already standing in line. “Silica is in almost everything that we have in our house but we do not even realize that. Silica is mainly used to make concrete and as fracking sand for the oil industry. An oil mine needs about 25,000 tons of silica sand to produce oil. That is one of our biggest markets and our biggest clients are also in that market.”