OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — You may have noticed some parts of the Lake Michigan shoreline have dark-colored or "black" sand.
That may look unsettling, but experts say it's nothing to fear, and that it actually can make a cool science experiment!
"It's actually a pretty interesting part of our Lake Michigan sand," said Jeff Carlson, a Naturalist Guide with Ottawa County Parks and Recreation.
Carlson explained that it's part of the sand that actually separates itself when it meets a magnet, so it's appropriately called magnetite.
And the magnetite is what makes the blackish color.
"The reason you see it banded on the beach and kind of looking like that is because of how it gets sorted by the wind and the waves," Carlson said.
Carlson explained that of all the sand on Lake Michigan, 1-3% is made up of magnetite. That means for every 100 grains of sand, about two of those will be the dark mineral.
So what makes up the rest of the sand?
"It's primarily quartz," said Carlson, "which is what gives the sand that tan color we associate it with."
Carlson said the rest is made up of a little less than 10% of the mineral felspar, adding in those reddish/orange type colors.
Carlson said magnetite is not necessarily only found on Lake Michigan, but it's the unique sand mixture that makes it special to the body of water.
"The mix of things that go into our sand is unique to this place," he said, "and I think when you experience parts of what makes up that unique thing, it gives you a better sense of the place and helps you appreciate what's here."
If you want to see the "magnetite" in action and learn more about the lakeshore's black sand, Jeff Carlson will be hosting a naturalist program on Saturday, July 8th at the Rosy Mound Natural Area in Grand Haven.
The program will meet at the trailhead at 10 a.m. and will last roughly an hour.
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