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SANDS
Sands
are unconsolidated sediments composed of individual grains ranging in size from
1/16mm to 2mm. Smaller particles would be considered silt; larger ones, gravel.
Sands can be of many different mineral compositions, not just the
quartz which
is perhaps the most well known. The black sands of Hawaii are largely
olivine
(the green ones peridot). Many sands are largely
calcite, the result of the
breakdown of sea shells and corals. The famous White Sands of New Mexico are
composed of gypsum. The sands of north east Florida contain valuable
concentrations of the titanium minerals
ilmenite and
rutile.Many people
collect sands as a hobby during their travels. These people are called
arenophiles. Sands are quite distinctive, and make for an interesting keepsake. |
