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  • Mineral-rich water from Konungshver, the King's Hot Spring, leaves colorful deposits as it flows from the geothermal spring in Iceland. Konungshver is located in southern Iceland near Geysir.
    Iceland_Konungshver_Runoff_2005.jpg
  • A thick layer of minerals, especially silica, lines the edge of the Blue Lagoon (Bláa lónið), a geothermal spa in Iceland. The warm water is rich in silica, sulfur and other minerals, giving the water its color and milky texture. The water is heated by geothermal process and used to produce electricity before it is used in the Blue Lagoon, a popular outdoor spa.
    Iceland_BlueLagoon_1292.jpg
  • Blue-green water flows in channels carved into volcanic rock just outside the Blue Lagoon (Bláa lónið) in Iceland. The warm water is rich in silica, sulfur and other minerals, giving the water its color and milky texture. The water is heated by geothermal process and used to produce electricity before it is used in the Blue Lagoon, a popular outdoor spa.
    Iceland_BlueLagoon_5765.jpg
  • A variety of thermophiles, which are microorganisms that thrive in heat, are responsible for the colors in the Grand Prismatic Spring, located in the Midway Geyser Basin area of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The yellow-green color comes from the thermophilic cyanobacteria Synechococcus, which is found in the hottest water of the spring (up to 161°F or 72°C). Phormidium, which is orange, is found in the spring's middle temperatures (113-140°F or 45-60°C). Calothrix, which is brown or black, is found in the coolest temperatures, although not lower than 86°F or 30°C. The terraces are the result of minerals that solidify in water that spills out of the spring.
    Yellowstone_Grand-Prismatic-Spring_B...jpg
  • Delicate stalactites, called soda straws, hang from the ceiling of the Painted Grotto in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico. Soda straws develop where water droplets hang from the ceiling. Initially, a calcite ring forms on the ceiling. Calcite deposits continue to accumulate on the initial ring, and the straw grows longer as the deposits build up. If enough calcite deposits build up, the soda straws can develop into large stalactites. Calcite is a colorless mineral in its pure form. The presence of other minerals causes the stalactites in the cavern to take on yellow, orange, red, or brown coloration.
    CarlsbadCaverns_PaintedGrotto_1205.jpg
  • A family of mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) climbs the steep rugged wall known as Goat Lick in Glacier National Park, Montana. The mountain goats travel for miles to lick the mineral-laden cliffs during the spring and early summer. The cliffs are full of calcium, potassium and magnesium and smaller amounts of sodium and phosphorous. Scientists believe the goats may lick the cliffs to replace minerals they lose from their bones over the long winter. The minerals may also serve as a digestive aid. It's also possible the goats have simply developed a taste for salt.
    Goats_Mountain_Goat-Lick_Glacier_013...jpg
  • A family of mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) climbs the steep rugged wall known as Goat Lick in Glacier National Park, Montana. The mountain goats travel for miles to lick the mineral-laden cliffs during the spring and early summer. The cliffs are full of calcium, potassium and magnesium and smaller amounts of sodium and phosphorous. Scientists believe the goats may lick the cliffs to replace minerals they lose from their bones over the long winter. The minerals may also serve as a digestive aid. It's also possible the goats have simply developed a taste for salt.
    Goats_Mountain_Goat-Lick_Glacier_011...jpg
  • Dozens of iron concretions are trapped in a sandstone pothole in the Grand Staircase Escalante in southern Utah. These iron concretions formed naturally between 6 and 25 million years ago as water dissolved the iron pigment in the red sandstone in the area. The pigment flowed down through the now bleached sandstone and then solidified when it came in contact with oxygenated water, forming a new iron mineral called hematite between the grains of sandstone. Over time, the sandstone eroded away, leaving the more durable iron concretions behind. These largely spherical balls are composed of a hard outer layer of hematite covering a ball of pink sandstone. By volume, the sandstone makes up the majority of these iron concretions, though those found elsewhere in the Colorado Plateau may contain much more hematite. Scientists aren't sure why they form in spheres or if they need something in particular as a nucleus to start growing.
    IronConcretions_Pothole_HarrisWashUt...jpg
  • Dozens of iron concretions are trapped in a small crack in the Grand staircase Escalante in southern Utah. These iron concretions formed naturally between 6 and 25 million years ago as water dissolved the iron pigment in the red sandstone in the area. The pigment flowed down through the now bleached sandstone and then solidified when it came in contact with oxygenated water, forming a new iron mineral called hematite between the grains of sandstone. Over time, the sandstone eroded away, leaving the more durable iron concretions behind. These largely spherical balls are composed of a hard outer layer of hematite covering a ball of pink sandstone. By volume, the sandstone makes up the majority of these iron concretions, though those found elsewhere in the Colorado Plateau may contain much more hematite. Scientists aren't sure why they form in spheres or if they need something in particular as a nucleus to start growing.
    IronConcretions_HarrisWashUtah_4194.jpg
  • Dozens of iron concretions are found on a bluff in the Grand staircase Escalante in southern Utah. These iron concretions formed naturally between 6 and 25 million years ago as water dissolved the iron pigment in the red sandstone in the area. The pigment flowed down through the now bleached sandstone and then solidified when it came in contact with oxygenated water, forming a new iron mineral called hematite between the grains of sandstone. Over time, the sandstone eroded away, leaving the more durable iron concretions behind. These largely spherical balls are composed of a hard outer layer of hematite covering a ball of pink sandstone. By volume, the sandstone makes up the majority of these iron concretions, though those found elsewhere in the Colorado Plateau may contain much more hematite. Scientists aren't sure why they form in spheres or if they need something in particular as a nucleus to start growing.
    IronConcretions_HarrisWashUtah_4183.jpg
  • Iron concretions are found on a bluff in the Grand staircase Escalante in southern Utah. These iron concretions formed naturally between 6 and 25 million years ago as water dissolved the iron pigment in the red sandstone in the area. The pigment flowed down through the now bleached sandstone and then solidified when it came in contact with oxygenated water, forming a new iron mineral called hematite between the grains of sandstone. Over time, the sandstone eroded away, leaving the more durable iron concretions behind. These largely spherical balls are composed of a hard outer layer of hematite covering a ball of pink sandstone. By volume, the sandstone makes up the majority of these iron concretions, though those found elsewhere in the Colorado Plateau may contain much more hematite. Scientists aren't sure why they form in spheres or if they need something in particular as a nucleus to start growing.
    IronConcretions_HarrisWashUtah_4193.jpg
  • Dozens of iron concretions are trapped in cracks in the Grand staircase Escalante in southern Utah. These iron concretions formed naturally between 6 and 25 million years ago as water dissolved the iron pigment in the red sandstone in the area. The pigment flowed down through the now bleached sandstone and then solidified when it came in contact with oxygenated water, forming a new iron mineral called hematite between the grains of sandstone. Over time, the sandstone eroded away, leaving the more durable iron concretions behind. These largely spherical balls are composed of a hard outer layer of hematite covering a ball of pink sandstone. By volume, the sandstone makes up the majority of these iron concretions, though those found elsewhere in the Colorado Plateau may contain much more hematite. Scientists aren't sure why they form in spheres or if they need something in particular as a nucleus to start growing.
    IronConcretions_HarrisWashUtah_4202.jpg
  • Dead lodgepole pine trees cast shadows on the snow covering the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lodgepole pine trees have a very shallow root system that extends sideways, allowing them to grow in Yellowstone where there is only a thin layer of topsoil that contains few nutrients. These snags, however, are near an active hydrothermal area and they soaked up mineral-laden water.
    Yellowstone_Lodgepole-Pine-Snags_Sno...jpg
  • Dead lodgepole pine trees cast shadows on the snow covering the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lodgepole pine trees have a very shallow root system that extends sideways, allowing them to grow in Yellowstone where there is only a thin layer of topsoil that contains few nutrients. These snags, however, are near an active hydrothermal area and they soaked up mineral-laden water.
    Yellowstone_Lodgepole-Pine-Snags_Sno...jpg
  • Dead lodgepole pine trees cast shadows on the snow covering the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lodgepole pine trees have a very shallow root system that extends sideways, allowing them to grow in Yellowstone where there is only a thin layer of topsoil that contains few nutrients. These snags, however, are near an active hydrothermal area and they soaked up mineral-laden water.
    Yellowstone_Lodgepole-Pine-Snags_Sno...jpg
  • Dead lodgepole pine trees cast shadows on the snow covering the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lodgepole pine trees have a very shallow root system that extends sideways, allowing them to grow in Yellowstone where there is only a thin layer of topsoil that contains few nutrients. These snags, however, are near an active hydrothermal area and they soaked up mineral-laden water.
    Yellowstone_Lodgepole-Pine-Snags_Sno...jpg
  • Dead lodgepole pine trees cast shadows on the snow covering the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lodgepole pine trees have a very shallow root system that extends sideways, allowing them to grow in Yellowstone where there is only a thin layer of topsoil that contains few nutrients. These snags, however, are near an active hydrothermal area and they soaked up mineral-laden water.
    Yellowstone_Lodgepole-Pine-Snags_Sno...jpg
  • The milky blue water of Iceland's Blue Lagoon (Bláa lónið) somewhat mimicks the color of the summer sky. Portions of the Blue Lagoon are heated with natural, geothermal energy. The mineral-rich hot pools are a popular tourist destination.
    Iceland_BlueLagoon_Sky_9934.jpg
  • Dead lodgepole pine trees cast shadows on the snow covering the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lodgepole pine trees have a very shallow root system that extends sideways, allowing them to grow in Yellowstone where there is only a thin layer of topsoil that contains few nutrients. These snags, however, are near an active hydrothermal area and they soaked up mineral-laden water.
    Yellowstone_Lodgepole-Pine-Snags_Sno...jpg
  • Dead lodgepole pine trees cast shadows on the snow covering the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lodgepole pine trees have a very shallow root system that extends sideways, allowing them to grow in Yellowstone where there is only a thin layer of topsoil that contains few nutrients. These snags, however, are near an active hydrothermal area and they soaked up mineral-laden water.
    Yellowstone_Lodgepole-Pine-Snags_Sno...jpg
  • Dead lodgepole pine trees cast shadows on the snow covering the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lodgepole pine trees have a very shallow root system that extends sideways, allowing them to grow in Yellowstone where there is only a thin layer of topsoil that contains few nutrients. These snags, however, are near an active hydrothermal area and they soaked up mineral-laden water.
    Yellowstone_Lodgepole-Pine-Snags_Sno...jpg
  • Two lodgepole pine trees stand in a snow-covered landscape in the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lodgepole pine trees have a very shallow root system that extends sideways, allowing them to grow in Yellowstone where there is only a thin layer of topsoil that contains few nutrients. These snags, however, are near an active hydrothermal area and they soaked up mineral-laden water.
    Yellowstone_Lodgepole-Pine_Snags_Sno...jpg
  • Dead lodgepole pine trees cast shadows on the snow covering the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lodgepole pine trees have a very shallow root system that extends sideways, allowing them to grow in Yellowstone where there is only a thin layer of topsoil that contains few nutrients. These snags, however, are near an active hydrothermal area and they soaked up mineral-laden water.
    Yellowstone_Lodgepole-Pine-Snags_Sno...jpg
  • Dead lodgepole pine trees cast shadows on the snow covering the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lodgepole pine trees have a very shallow root system that extends sideways, allowing them to grow in Yellowstone where there is only a thin layer of topsoil that contains few nutrients. These snags, however, are near an active hydrothermal area and they soaked up mineral-laden water.
    Yellowstone_Lodgepole-Pine-Snags_Sno...jpg
  • Colorful ice surrounds Lower Yellowstone Falls in winter in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Lower Yellowstone Falls plunges 308 feet (94 meters) and is the highest-volume waterfall in the Rocky Mountains. Some of the unusual coloring on the ice is the result of mineral-rich rock dust that has been eroded and deposited by the Yellowstone River. The blue icicles result from the ice being uniform and free of bubbles, so it reflects only blue wavelengths of light.
    Yellowstone-Falls-Lower_Winter_Color...jpg
  • A burro (Equus asinus), also known as a donkey, stands among the Calico Hills in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area in Nevada. Burros were introduced to the area in the 1800s by miners and ranchers who used them to haul heavy cargo. Some escaped or were freed, becoming wild (technically feral). The Red Rock Canyon area is part of the Mojave Desert and is a harsh environment, but the burros are able to survive by finding spring water and feeding on grasses.
    Burro_Calico-Hills_Red-Rock-Canyon_N...jpg
  • A cross-section of petrified wood displays a wide spectrum of colors in the Rainbow Forest of Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. The petrified wood in the park is made up of almost solid quartz and the colors are the result of impurities in the quartz, such as iron, carbon and manganese. It formed more than 200 million years ago when logs washed into an ancient river system. The logs were quickly buried by sediment, which slowed decay. Over time, minerals, including silica, were absorbed into the porous wood, replacing the original organic material over hundreds of thousands of years.
    AZ_Petrified-Forest_Petrified-Wood_D...jpg
  • The Painted Hills in John Day National Monument, Oregon are comprised of several layers of ash and pumice deposits from the Cascades and area volcanoes. The deposits were laid down approximately 33 million years ago. The red comes from rusty iron minerals; golden layers are rich with oxidized magnesium and iron, metamorphic claystone; the black comes from manganese.
    OR_PaintedHills_CloseUp_3145.jpg
  • A close-up of a a cross-section of petrified wood reveals colors in abstract patterns in the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. The petrified wood in the park is made up of almost solid quartz and the colors are the result of impurities in the quartz, such as iron, carbon and manganese. It formed more than 200 million years ago when logs washed into an ancient river system. The logs were quickly buried by sediment, which slowed decay. Over time, minerals, including silica, were absorbed into the porous wood, replacing the original organic material over hundreds of thousands of years.
    AZ_Petrified-Forest_Petrified-Wood_A...jpg
  • The Painted Hills in John Day National Monument, Oregon are comprised of several layers of ash and pumice deposits from the Cascades and area volcanoes. The deposits were laid down approximately 33 million years ago. Eventually the layers were thrust upward and tilted by movement of the Earth's plates. The red comes from rusty iron minerals; golden layers are rich with oxidized magnesium and iron, metamorphic claystone; the black comes from manganese.
    OR_PaintedHills_WideView_3192.jpg
  • This panorama shows the colorful layers that give the Painted Hills in the John Day National Monument in Oregon their name. The layers represent different ash and pumice deposits from the Cascades and area volcanoes. The deposits were laid down approximately 33 million years ago. The red comes from rusty iron minerals; golden layers are rich with oxidized magnesium and iron, metamorphic claystone; the black comes from manganese.
    OR_PaintedHills_Panorama_3098.jpg
  • The Painted Hills in John Day National Monument, Oregon are comprised of several layers of ash and pumice deposits from the Cascades and area volcanoes. The deposits were laid down approximately 33 million years ago. Eventually the layers were thrust upward and tilted by movement of the Earth's plates. The red comes from rusty iron minerals; golden layers are rich with oxidized magnesium and iron, metamorphic claystone; the black comes from manganese.
    OR_PaintedHills_Palette_3240.jpg
  • Low-angle sunlight shows the texture of the colorful Painted Hills in the John Day National Monument in Oregon. The layers represent different ash and pumice deposits from the Cascades and area volcanoes. The deposits were laid down approximately 33 million years ago. The red comes from rusty iron minerals; golden layers are rich with oxidized magnesium and iron, metamorphic claystone; the black comes from manganese.
    OR_PaintedHills_DeepShadow_3175.jpg
  • The Painted Hills in John Day National Monument, Oregon are comprised of several layers of ash and pumice deposits from the Cascades and area volcanoes. The deposits were laid down approximately 33 million years ago. The red comes from rusty iron minerals; golden layers are rich with oxidized magnesium and iron, metamorphic claystone; the black comes from manganese.
    OR_PaintedHills_CloseUp_3185.jpg
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