Sandstone differs because it is predominantly made up of particles of quartz that have been eroded from other rocks, often granite. These are carried away down streams and rivers until they are eventually deposited. Occasionally they are formed by winds carrying them, like the shifting sands of a desert. Natural cement minerals occur in the ground water and help to glue the particles together. As with limestone, time and the weight of other material on top compacts the sand to form stone.
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