Black sand's distinctive color and rarity make it an interesting and alluring substance. Black sand beaches are formed near volcanoes as lava cools and weathers, and are tourist magnets year after year. For miners of the gold rush and prospectors today, black sand is a welcome sight as well. Placer deposits, which are formed by gravity separation between several different sediments, often are signified by black sand. These deposits usually contain valuable minerals such as gold. Whether you are a tourist looking for a souvenir or a prospector sifting for gold, grinding up black sand is a simple task.
Things You'll Need
Mortar and pestle
Thin screen
Protective eyewear
Cloth
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Instructions
1
Use only enough sand to cover the bottom of your mortar.
Pour a small amount of black sand into the mortar. You want the pestle to crush the sand against the bottom of the mortar. If you pour too much, the pestle will only push the sand against itself, making it more difficult to break up.
2
Smash the pestle downward to break apart larger pieces. Once the sand becomes finer, switch to a circular motion.
3
Pour the ground sand over the screen to separate the fine pieces. If you are using black sand from a placer deposit, you may find pieces of gold. Separate the gold or any unwanted minerals and repeat the grinding process with the larger pieces of sand.
