The Colour of Sand, Part I

Once upon a time there was some sand.  It was composed largely of silicon dioxide, otherwise known as quartz, but also contained feldspar, clay minerals, calcium carbonate, and fragments of rocks worn down by wind and ocean waves. The colour of this particular sand - as is the case with all sand - was determined by the rocky material of the adjacent land.  We might even say - if we were comparing sand to humans - that sand is coloured by its home culture and environment.

Sand is also a product of weathering processes such as rain, freezing and thawing, wind and chemical reactions.  These processes break down rock into fragments, and as the physical abrasion and chemical weathering take their toll, the rock fragments become smaller, rounder, and more polished.  Wind is the worst culprit, as it keeps the sand particles constantly shifting and hitting against one another, thereby refining them further.  In other words, sand would not be sand without enduring the hardships of nature's elements constantly rubbing against it.  The sand develops a sheen and glimmer that could not be achieved by easier means.  We might even say - if we were comparing sand to humans - that sand particles are coloured by friction and conflict from contact with other sand particles.

Ocean waves also affect sand. As each wave strikes the shore, its turbulence lifts the sand into suspension and carries the particles further along the beach.  Offshore currents can carry sand for many kilometers along the coastline and redeposit it.  The heavier particles will tend to sink to the bottom, while the lighter particles will be found on the top layer. Because this process never stops - because there is a constant rhythm of changing and moving - the sand mixes with sand from other beaches, commingling and creating layers of colour. We might even say - if we were comparing sand to humans - that sand is coloured by living in community with other sand and by the diversity of mineral composition between the grains.