Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Utah, USA.
These sands and sandstones are composed mainly of quartz but they have intense pink, orange or red color. The coloring agent in this sand is volumetrically insignificant – it is hematite (oxide of iron) that forms very thin rust-colored pigment on larger silicate grains.
However, it’s influence on the appearance of sand or sandstone is very strong. A well known example of such sand is the Coral Pink Sand Dunes in the State of Utah, USA. Devonian sandstones in Estonia for example are even darker and are often said to be red. These sandstone formations are known throughout the world as “red beds”.
Hematite is not detrital mineral (formed as a result of disintegration of parent rock) in this sand type. It is mainly groundwater that carries iron and forms ferric gel on silicate grains. Complete dewatering of such gel results in a thin layer of iron oxide. Hematitic sands are very common in deserts.
