what causes some beaches to be white
White Sand Beaches in Florida. Northwest Florida has some of the purest whitest sand anywhere in the state. Its dazzling crystals are nearly pure quartz resulting in soft fluffy sand that is a pleasure to walk on. I'll never forget my first steps onto the white sand beach at St. Andrew's State Park near Panama City Beach. 1  The sand was so pure and so soft. I dug my feet into it scooped it up with my hands and marveled at its purity. Only a few tiny flecks of dark minerals could be seen in the nearly pure white sand.