Re:How to Steal a River
by dredmorbius on Sunday March 05, 2017 @09:35AM
(#13796120)
In fairness, you're somewhat missing the point.
First, the article states that there's sand which can be safely taken from rivers, if it's taken from the right places.
Secondly, costs and prices matter (and are profoundly determinative in economics, especially absent effective regulatory mechanisms). The competition is already between opportunistic harvesting of sand from places in which it can result in tremendous harm, vs. managed and sustainable (even useful) dredging from elsewhere.
Thirdly, crushing rock itself takes energy (or transport to a location in which that energy is provided -- perhaps a river, or solar panels), plus capital equipment, which likely has a limited life (rock is tough stuff...). So: higher costs and complexity, and a much higher bar for entry, vs. locating a truck and a likely spot of riverbank from which to harvest sand.
Interesting refs for the used crushers, but I don't see cost or energy data.
First, the article states that there's sand which can be safely taken from rivers, if it's taken from the right places.
Secondly, costs and prices matter (and are profoundly determinative in economics, especially absent effective regulatory mechanisms). The competition is already between opportunistic harvesting of sand from places in which it can result in tremendous harm, vs. managed and sustainable (even useful) dredging from elsewhere.
Thirdly, crushing rock itself takes energy (or transport to a location in which that energy is provided -- perhaps a river, or solar panels), plus capital equipment, which likely has a limited life (rock is tough stuff...). So: higher costs and complexity, and a much higher bar for entry, vs. locating a truck and a likely spot of riverbank from which to harvest sand.
Interesting refs for the used crushers, but I don't see cost or energy data.