Deposits of what is locally called "silica sand" are found in rocks about 480 m.y. old in Manitoba, Canada. They contain rounded grains of well-sorted sand sometimes with variable amount of clay. A purity exceeding 99.5 % silica is found in several old mines.

Silica sand has been mined and used for various applications, such as making glass, fracking in oil wells, making ceramics, grinding and polishing, making silicon metal, etc.