h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Here in New Zealand, we have Black Sand for an entirely different reason. The sand is black because it has huge amounts of Iron in it - as a matter of fact, if you go for a walk on a West Auckland beach, you are actually walking on the raw product from which New Zealand Steel is made.
Don't walk on it in bare feet on a sunny day, though, or your feet will get very badly burned - imagine the usual hot sand effect, multiplied fourfold (slight exaggeration). I think some people have actually needed medical treatment for this.

I've seen black sand on the beaches in Greece, which is basalt ground up small. In general it is very coarse grained making it useless for sandcastles and also very uncomfortable for sunbathing. Towels at the ready!

To me, black sand is good. Of course, that's because the black sand on Oregon beaches indicates that there is likely to be flour gold present. Flour gold is gold in particles so small that they're invisible, but when you've got enough, you can see the gold in the vial. (Like flour--have you ever tried to separate out one grain of flour? Me neither)

In the north east of England we also have black sand which was collected from the beaches by less well off folk until very recently - It is actually coal eroded from narrow seams in the cliffs.

Hi, John. Thanks for commenting here and welcome to h2g2. If you can write something on your presonal space, even a single line, then our ACEs will be able to give you a proper welcome.