Continental sand

I’ve named this sand type ‘continental’ because it is the most characteristic sand type on beaches of continental landmasses. Quartz is dominating but it is usually accompanied by feldspar (usually K-feldspar) plus many other minerals, rock fragments or biogenic grains. However, all of these are not nearly as abundant as quartz.

This sand is usually yellow or light brown and often speckled with dark grains. It is common along passive continental margins and therefore the most widespread sand type on most of the European coasts for example.