The vast majority of typical beach and desert sand—frequently exceeding 80 percent or more of its total mineral composition—is composed of quartz, scientifically known as silicon dioxide. Quartz is exceptionally resistant to chemical weathering, physical abrasion, and dissolution, allowing it to survive long transport cycles via rivers and wind currents while other less durable minerals break down into clay or silt. Depending on the local geology, the remaining fraction of sand typically consists of feldspar, mica fragments, heavy minerals, carbonate shell fragments, and volcanic rock particles.