The process begins with the transportation of sand particles by wind or water, followed by their deposition and compaction over time, leading to the formation of sandstone. Metamorphism occurs when heat and pressure act upon the sandstone, transforming it into a metamorphic rock, such as quartzite, through recrystallization.
The processes that must occur for sand to eventually become metaphorical rock are compaction and cementation. Compaction involves the pressure from overlying sediment, which squeezes out the water and air between sand grains, making them closer together. Cementation occurs when minerals, such as silica or calcite, dissolve in groundwater and then precipitate around the sand grains, binding them together to form a solid rock.
