Structure: Rainbow Mountains of Zhangye Danxia
Location: It is located about 40 km from Zhangye city in Gansu province, China, at the eastern foothill of Qilian Mountain Range.
Year Discovered: In the year 2,000 a journalist and a farmer Lei Yixing in Leize County found the magical Zhangye Danxia Landform and reported it in the newspaper. After seeing the photos people were shocked and this amazing landform attracted many visitors to this rare landscape.
Description: The Rainbow Mountains of China are Earth's paint palette. It is a geological wonder of the world. These famous Chinese mountains are known for their otherworldly colors that mimic a rainbow painted over the tops of rolling mountains. The site was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 and is the destination for many Chinese and international tourists.
The Rainbow Mountains are cretaceous sandstones and siltstones that were deposited in China before the Himalayan Mountains were formed. The sand and silt were deposited with iron and trace minerals that provided the key ingredient to form the colors we see today.
The Zhangye Danxia Landform is known for its vibrant colors, primarily shades of red, orange, and yellow.
-The red coloring is due to an iron oxide coating and cementation otherwise known as hematite between the sandstone grains.
-Brown colors are due to oxidized limonite or goethite that will eventually produce brownish or yellowish stains in sandstones.
-Green colors are due to chlorite or iron silicate clays.
-If there is iron sulfide present ... you will get a metallic yellow color imparted by sulfur.
-Magnetite can form black staining of sandstones.
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