sedimentary

Sand

Siliciclastic sediment / Quartz sand (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (for quartz grains); Color: Varies widely from white, grey, yellowish-brown to green depending on mineral content; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Trigonal (when individual quartz grains are crystalline); Cleavage: None

Hardness: 7 (for quartz grains)
Luster: Vitreous to dull

Identified August 5, 2026More sedimentary →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the weathering and physical/chemical breakdown of pre-existing rocks (predominantly granite and other quartz-rich rocks) over thousands to millions of years, transported by water or wind and deposited in beaches, deserts, and riverbeds.

Uses & applications

Extensively used in construction (concrete, mortar, asphalt), glass manufacturing, sandblasting, and electronics (silicon extraction).

Geological facts

Sand is the world's most consumed natural resource after water, and the Sahara Desert contains billions of tons of it, though desert sand is generally too smooth for concrete production.

Field identification & locations

Found abundantly worldwide in coastal environments, deserts, and river floodplains. Identified by loose, granular mineral particles mostly composed of quartz and feldspar.

Other sedimentary specimens

See all

Sandstone or Siltstone

Arenite (if sandstone)

Sedimentary

Fossiliferous Concretion

Septarian Concretion containing Brachiopods/Crinoids

fossil

Quartz pebble

Silicon dioxide (SiO2)

sedimentary

Generic Pebble / Rock Fragment

Lithic fragment / Weathered rock

sedimentary

Banded Siltstone / Mudstone Pebble

Siltstone / Argillite

sedimentary

Sedimentary Sandstone

Arenite (Sedimentary Rock)

sedimentary