Ying Sha is a hard, wear-resistant, and chemically stable silicate mineral, primarily composed of SiO2. Quartz sand is characterized by its milky white or colorless translucent appearance, with a hardness of 7, brittle nature without cleavage, conchoidal fracture, and greasy luster. It has a density of 2.65, with a bulk density ranging from 1.6 to 1.8 for particle sizes 1-20 mesh, and 1.5 for sizes 20-200 mesh. Its chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties exhibit significant anisotropy, are insoluble in acids, slightly soluble in KOH solution, and have a melting point of 1750°C.

Standard sizes include: 0.5-1mm, 1-2mm, 2-4mm, 4-8mm, 8-16mm, 16-32mm, 10-20 mesh, 20-40 mesh, 40-80 mesh, 100-120 mesh.

Quartz sand is a variant of colorless and transparent quartz, known as "Krystallos" by the Greeks, meaning "white ice." They believed quartz to be a durable and solid ice. Ancient Chinese people thought that chewing on cold quartz could quench thirst. Quartz sandstone is a consolidated detrital rock with over 95% quartz content, originating from various igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Heavy minerals are rare, with associated minerals including feldspar, mica, and clay minerals. Quartz rock is divided into sedimentary and metamorphic types, with the former having an indistinct boundary between the detrital grains and the cementing material, and the latter referring to metamorphosed quartz rock ore with a high degree of metamorphism and purity. Vein quartz is formed by hydrothermal activity, composed almost entirely of quartz, with a dense, massive structure. The mineral content in quartz sand varies greatly, with quartz being the primary component, followed by feldspar, mica, rock fragments, heavy minerals, and clay minerals.