washed river sand
totototo@telus.net (Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:43:41 PDT)

On 19 Aug 08, at 15:55, Jane McGary wrote:

Technical detail:

You can't get rid of the salt in beach sand by simply washing it. During its
long immersion in salt water, sodium ions have gradually penentrated the
crystal lattice of the minerals comprising the sand. Removed to a freshwater
environment (i.e. in a flowerpot), saltwater beach sand then gradually releases
this sodium over a very long period of time.

Listen to what Jane says, people, heed her words.

--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Maritime Zone 8, a cool Mediterranean climate

on beautiful Vancouver Island