新疆木垒鸣沙以独特的声学特征与环境条件闻名，其形成受沙源多样性以及古尔班通古特沙漠边缘风沙活动共同影响。本研究通过对比木垒鸣沙与巴丹吉林沙漠鸣沙、敦煌鸣沙的矿物成分、粒径组成及表面结构，并将木垒鸣沙按照不同粒级分组进行声学特征测试，揭示其发声机制及影响因素。结果表明：（1） 木垒鸣沙矿物以石英为主，但长石含量（34.9%）显著高于巴丹吉林沙漠鸣沙（15%）和敦煌鸣沙（18.3%），可能与形成年代较晚和干旱气候抑制风化相变有关。（2） 木垒鸣沙粒径以中沙为主（71.44%），分选良好且呈现粗化趋势，与巴丹吉林沙漠鸣沙和敦煌鸣沙的细沙主导特征（>90%）差异显著。（3） 沙粒表面多孔结构（撞击坑与化学溶蚀坑）起到“共鸣箱”作用，影响鸣沙的发声。（4） 声学特性主要与粒径大小有关，中沙基频最高（834.412 Hz）、声压均方根值最大（0.0045 Pa），音调明亮且响度突出，是木垒鸣沙声学质量优于其他区域鸣沙的重要原因。

The singing sand dunes in Mulei County, Xinjiang, are renowned for their unique sound and environmental conditions, earning the title of “the first sound in the world, Wooden Barrier Singing Sand Mountain.” Influenced by regional fold faults, sand transport, and the stabilization of sand particles from the surrounding deserts and Gobi plains, these dunes produce a unique sound due to their well-sorted, bright, and clear desert sand. This study examined the environmental and material characteristics of Mulei’s singing sand, including its acoustic properties, particle size distribution, and other factors involved in its formation. A comparative analysis of the singing sands of the Badain Jaran Desert and Dunhuang highlighted the relationship between the topography and sound production. This study scientifically and systematically explains the material sources of the singing sand and investigates the influence of particle size on the acoustic properties by measuring the sound produced by sand particles of varying sizes. The findings reveal the following: (1) The mineral composition of Mulei’s singing sand is primarily quartz, similar to those in the Badain Jaran Desert and Dunhuang, but with significantly different quartz and feldspar contents. Mulei’s singing sand has a considerably higher feldspar content and a relatively lower quartz content than those of the other two regions. The sand’s acoustic properties are independent of specific proportions of quartz and feldspar particles in the mineral composition. (2) The grain size composition of Mulei’s singing sand is predominantly medium sand, exhibiting a coarser texture than those of the Badain Jaran Desert and Dunhuang, although it is well-sorted. This coarsening trend is identified as a factor contributing to the distinctive acoustic characteristics of the Mulei’s singing sand. (3) The surface of Mulei’s singing sand features typical aeolian impact craters and chemical dissolution pits formed by temperature fluctuations and wind erosion, creating a porous, rounded surface structure similar to that of the singing sands in the Badain Jaran Desert and Dunhuang, which acts as a “resonance box,” influencing the sound production of the singing sand. (4) The particle size of the singing sand significantly affects its acoustic characteristics. Among these, medium-sized sand particles produce the highest pitch, loudest volume, and the brightest, sharpest sound quality compared to other particle sizes.