Vietnam might run out of valuable natural sand within five years unless an artificial product is successfully created.

Sand is a critical part of making concrete, with 100 million cubic metres of the resource used across construction projects in Vietnam every year.

But scientists from the country’s Institute of Transport Science and Technology warned that supplies could be depleted within five years.

Scientists suggest making artificial sand from ground rocks, which is already used in other parts of the world.

The price of natural sand in Vietnam has skyrocketed in the past six months following a crackdown on the illegal sand dredging industry.

It’s led to a critical shortage in the material with a number of construction projects struggling to find supplies.

In response, the government has now ordered the Ministry of Construction to stop exporting Vietnamese sand to foreign countries.