Your primary mission, to find this earthcache.
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. It is defined by size, being finer than gravel and coarser than silt. The composition of sand varies, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal settings is silica (silicon dioxide, or SiO2), usually in the form of quartz. Sand is a non-renewable resource over human timescales, and sand suitable for making concrete is in high demand.
Sediment transport is the movement of solid particles (sediment), typically due to a combination of gravity acting on the sediment, and/or the movement of the fluid in which the sediment is entrained. Sediment transport occurs in natural systems where the particles are clastic rocks (sand, gravel, boulders, etc.), mud, or clay; the fluid is air, water, or ice; and the force of gravity acts to move the particles along the sloping surface on which they are resting. Sediment transport due to fluid motion occurs in rivers, oceans, lakes, seas, and other bodies of water due to currents and tides. Transport is also caused by glaciers as they flow, and on terrestrial surfaces under the influence of wind. Sediment transport due only to gravity can occur on sloping surfaces in general, including hillslopes, scarps, cliffs, and the continental shelf—continental slope boundary.
- Aeolian - is the term for sediment transport by wind.
- Coastal - sediment transport takes place in near-shore environments due to the motions of waves and currents.
- Glacial - As glaciers move over their beds, they entrain and move material of all sizes.
- Fluvian - In geology, physical geography, and sediment transport, fluvial processes relate to flowing water in natural systems.
Sand mining is the extraction of sand, mainly through an open pit but sometimes mined from beaches and inland dunes or dredged from ocean and river beds. Sand is often used in manufacturing, for example as an abrasive or in concrete.
- Room and Pillar method - where rooms are cut into the area being mined and pillars are left standing to support the mine.
- Open Pit Mine - where the sand is minded from static quaternary deposits usually near a river.
- Dredging - Sand is dredged from the side and bottom of a river.
To be able to log a find for this cache, please send me a message with the correct answers to the following two questions. Please do not post your answers to your log.
- What method of sediment transport likely brought the sand you see around you and across the river to the area?
- What mining technique is most likely used on the far bank(when in operation) to obtain the sand.
Your alternative mission, find all four classical element caches to reveal the location of the mysterious fifth element, Aether. Remember the number of your answers above
