The Distribution of the Kordofan Sand (Anglo-Egyptian Sudan)

The Kordofan Sand is a deposit of unconsolidated surface sands covering large areas to the west of the White Nile in the central part of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and especially in the province of Kordofan. In character, it is a typical winddeposited sand of well-rounded quartz grains, with a colour varying from pale buff to deep red. The colour is due to iron staining on the surface of the quartz grains, but only extends to a very shallow depth, sometimes as little as 4 to 5 feet, below which depth the sand is colourless. The absence of colour in the deeper parts of the deposit appears to be due to absence of iron rather than to its presence in a reduced state, and it is thought therefore that the iron must represent a concentration in the upper portion of the deposit. As far as investigation has been made there is no evidence of a downward leaching of iron-bearing solutions with penetration to underlying deposits.