Sand types

How many different types of sand are there? Nobody knows an answer to this seemingly simple question because there are no such thing as an official sand classification. However, sand is a highly variable substance and therefore it is definitely possible to make an attempt to classify it into separate categories.



Nine sand samples above represent nine different sand types. Row by row from left to right: 1. Glass sand from Kauai, Hawaii 2. Dune sand from the Gobi Desert, Mongolia 3. Quartz sand with green glauconite from Estonia 4. Volcanic sand with reddish weathered basalt from Maui, Hawaii 5. Biogenic coral sand from Molokai, Hawaii 6. Coral pink sand dunes from Utah 7. Volcanic glass sand from California 8. Garnet sand from Emerald Creek, Idaho 9. Olivine sand from Papakolea, Hawaii.



You may also like my gallery of Colors in sand.

Further reading

Pettijohn, F. J., Potter, P. E. & Siever, R. (1973). Sand and Sandstone . Springer.

Siever, R. (1988). Sand , 2nd Edition. W H Freeman & Co.



