
Saudi Arabia contains some of the world’s largest sand deserts yet imports sand from Australia — much of the windblown sand beneath its feet is too fine, smooth and rounded for conventional concrete, making it the wrong kind of sand for the cities rising above it
The wrong sand—too smooth, too fine—lies beneath Saudi Arabia's feet, forcing the kingdom to ship in construction-grade material from halfway around the world.
By Daniel Moran · Sep 3, 2026















