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How to Crush Black Sand

Black sand is a combination of a variety of materials such as lead carbonites, hematite and iron. The variations of this dark-colored sand are numerous, so these metallic combinations are referred to as "black sand." Gold, minerals and gemstones are often found in black sand, so miners search for it as a way to find these other items. Crushing black sand with a mortar and pestle helps miners to find even minute pieces of gold.

Things You'll Need

Cast-iron mortar and pestle
Black sand
Small screen
Pie plate or bowl

Instructions

- 1
  Place a small amount of black sand into the mortar, thinly covering the bottom. Do not overfill the mortar. Doing so can make it difficult for you to crush the materials thoroughly.
- 2
  Crush small chunks of sand by hitting the pestle against them in a downward motion. This will break up the pieces to make them easier to crush.
- 3
  Firmly press the pestle into the black sand and use a stirring motion to crush it.
- 4
  Hold a small screen over a pie plate or bowl. Pour the contents of the mortar onto the screen and shake gently, allowing smaller pieces to fall through the screen and into the dish below. This will separate the smaller pieces from the larger ones that need to be crushed more.
- 5
  Remove useable pieces of gold from the dish and set aside for later use. Repeat steps with all remaining black sand.

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