Separation of black sand

Black sand, what it is?

One may see on this picture that it appears actually black. Not always so. Sometimes it is redish or dusty orange or simple dusty. Most of times it appears darker than other types of sand. It is magnetic and one may see magnet on picture lifting and separating black sand from the rest. Its specific gravity is higher than usual silica sand or quartz sand for 3-4 times. It consists of magnetite and hematite and other heavier minerals. Not all of them have same magnetic attraction.

Glossary - Black Sand

Black sand: Dark-colored heavy sand, often black but can be reddish, dusty orange or dusty. Denser than normal sand.

Magnetic: Attracted to a magnet. Black sand can be pulled out from other sand with a magnet.

Specific gravity: How dense a material is compared to water. Black sand is 3-4x heavier than silica/quartz sand.

Magnetite: Fe3O4. Main black magnetic mineral in black sand.

Hematite: Fe2O3. Reddish-brown iron oxide mineral in black sand, weakly or non-magnetic.

Silica sand / Quartz sand: Common light-colored sand, made of SiO2. Low density, non-magnetic.

Heavier minerals: Dense accessory minerals in black sand, e.g. magnetite, hematite, ilmenite, garnet. Not all are magnetic.