View allAll Photos Tagged quartzite
Sandstone, quartzite, sky, in Coire Mhic Fhearchair, Beinn Eighe, Torridon, Highlands.
From a transparency original taken with a Nikon FM2n camera & scanned with a Nikon LS2000 SCSI film scanner. Tonal refinement & dust spotting in a legacy version of Photoshop.
The view as I left the St. Marys Campround just at sunrise headed to Logan Pass in Glacier National Park, Montana. Even in the early light one can see the gleaming white of quartzite which is interbedded with the grayish green argillite and silttite. These beds in the top top of the mountain are called the Appekunny Formation and overly tan dolomites and limestone of the Altyn Formation which make up the lower visible rocks on the mountain. Both rock units are Middle Proterozoic in age (with the Altyn being the oldest (1.6 billion years to 1.3 billion years old) of the Proterozoic rocks in Glacier.
Robber Den, Ardrishaig. The inclusion of the type of rock over which the water flows is for my benefit - the underlying geology on this hill is deceptively complex, with schist, phyllites, metadolerite and quartzite all making an appearance, it will be interesting to see how it alters the flora later in the year.
The view across Coire Lair to Beinn Liath Mhor from Fuar Tholl in North West Scotland. The juxtaposition of the dark Torridonian sandstone and the pale quartzite scree is characteristic of this part of the Highalnds.
Lichens growing on Baraboo quartzite, Devil's Lake State Park, Wisconsin. Colonies of this type of lichen tend to coalesce into larger colonies when they collide.
The quartzite is a deep red and the lichens are gray-green.
Cambrian quartzite beside the Mountain Trail in Beinn Eighe NNR. The "pipes", a little under 1 cm in diameter, are fossils of worm burrows from about 500 million years ago, here seen in cross section.
The quartzite was originally laid down as sandstone but metamorphosed by heat and pressure deep under the Earth's surface, losing the "grain" of the sandstone but not, in this instance, the fossils. A similar process is responsible for turning limestone into marble and, while chemically different, quartzite and marble can look quite similar, especially when the former doesn't contain fossils.
Very little plant life grows where quartzite is exposed as, being largely pure silicon dioxide, it doesn't break down to useful nutrients when it weathers, resulting in large areas of greyish-white exposed rock and scree, as illustrated on a large scale on Beinn Eighe itself, Foinaven and a number of other mountains in Scotland.
Minutes before sunrise, first light strikes the stunning escarpment along the eastern face of the Snowy Range and reflects in the beautiful calm waters of Lake Marie, in the Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming.
I've been fascinated from afar with the Snowy Range for quite a few years now, but hadn't made it there until we took an extra day and headed that way last month after fighting the crowds in Rocky Mountain National Park for a couple of days.
What we found in this part of the Medicine Bow was even more awesome than I'd hoped. It's one of those places that's actually very accessible, but has the appealing, uncrowded feel and wonder of a far more remote location. A great trail system (that I need to explore much further) weaves among and between the stunning alpine lakes, meadows and rockfalls nestled beneath the soaring cliffs and quartzite mountains.
And speaking of quartzite, I'm not sure I've ever seen so much in one place. The Snowy Range is aptly named, not just because it gets a lot of snow in winter, but also because there is so much quartz in its exposed rocks that it appears almost snow-capped year round in many lighting conditions. Beneath the higher peaks, boulder fields of bright quartz blends scatter here and there among blue waters, firs and autumn-toned undergrowth. A beautiful and fascinating place.
Thanks for viewing!
View of Glen Coe at the Pass of Glen Coe, with one of the Three Sisters in the distance on the left side of the valley and the River Coe in the foreground, Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Some background information:
Glen Coe is a valley of glacial origins that cuts though volcanic rocks in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the north of the county of Argyll, close to the border with the historic province of Lochaber, within the modern council area of Highland. Glen Coe is regarded as the home of Scottish mountaineering and is popular with hillwalkers and climbers. A 2010 review by Scottish Natural Heritage describes the journey through the glen on the main A82 road as "one of the classic Highland journeys".
The valley is named after the River Coe which runs through it. It is U-shaped, formed by an ice age glacier, about 12.5 kilometres (7.8 miles) long with the floor of the glen being less than 700 metres (2,300 feet) wide, narrowing sharply at the "Pass of Glen Coe". Other than a few scattered farms, the only settlement in Glen Coe is the village of Glencoe, which lies at the western end of the glen close to Invercoe where the river joins Loch Leven. The mountains surrounding Glen Coe include six so-called munros, in other words Scottish mountains with a height of over 3,000 feet (914.4 metres).
Geologically speaking, the rocks of Glen Coe are the remains of an ancient supervolcano. The caldera forming eruptions took place about 420 million years ago during the Silurian period, and the volcano has long since become extinct. The glen is considered to be one of the best examples of a subsidence caldera, being the place where this phenomenon was first described. Devonian volcanic lavas can be seen on the mountains of Bidean nam Bian and Sgorr nam Fiannaidh, the ridge of An t-Sron, as well as in the bed of the River Coe below Loch Achtriochtan. Surrounding the caldera the rocks consists of schist and quartzite with a ring of granite marking the main ring fault. The landscape was further shaped by the processes of glaciation during the last ice ages, ending 10,000 years ago.
Habitats within Glen Coe include birch woodland, moorland and peatbogs. The upland parts of the glen are one of the best habitats for alpine and sub-alpine plants in Lochaber, due to the underlying geology and range of altitude. On the floor of the glen there are areas of wet woodland: the woodlands are composed of alder and ash, and also provide a habitat for ground plants such as tufted hair-grass and marsh hawk's-beard. Furthermore, Glen Coe hosts several nationally scarce species of liverworts and mosses. The peaks of the glen are home to snow bunting and ptarmigan, and the area also supports buzzards and golden eagles.
In history Glen Coe gained notoriety by the infamous Massacre of Glencoe, which took place in February 1692. The two Highland clans at the centre of the Glencoe Massacre, Clan MacDonald and Clan Campbell already had a long history of feuding. After King James II had been replaced on the English and Scottish thrones by William III in 1689, many Scottish clans had remained loyal to the former. In August 1691 the government offered an indemnity to all chiefs who should take an oath of allegiance to William III before 1st January 1692. Almost all clan chiefs took the oath. However, Alexander MacDonald of Glencoe, the chief of Clan MacDonald, postponed his submission until 31st December 1691, but was then unable to take his oath until 6th January 1692, because there was no magistrate at Fort William to receive it.
Sir John Dalrymple, William’s secretary of state for Scotland, thereupon issued an order under the king’s signature for military punishment of the MacDonalds. More than 100 of Argyll’s soldiers from Clan Campbell, who had been quartered amicably upon the MacDonalds for more than a week, suddenly attacked them. Many of the clan escaped, but the chief, 33 other men, 2 women, and 2 children were killed. And many more died during their flight because of the cold temperatures and their hunger. John Campbell, Earl of Breadalbane and Holland, a neighbour and an enemy of the MacDonalds, was widely suspected of planning the attack but as mentioned above was not its main instigator. The Massacre of Glen Coe is also the reason for the valley being sometimes called the "Glen of Weeping".
Since 2017 Glen Coe has been designated as a national nature reserve (NNR), and is classified as a Category IV protected area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Glen Coe is also designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The scenic beauty of the glen has led to its inclusion in the Ben Nevis and Glen Coe National Scenic Area, being one of 40 such areas in Scotland, which are defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure their protection from inappropriate development. There have been several proposals for Glen Coe to be included within a national park, mostly recently in 2013, but currently the British Government has no plans to designate new national parks in Scotland and instead plans to focus on the two existing national parks.
However, Glen Coe is a very popular tourist destination, partly because of its scenic qualities and historical associations, partly because it is on the main road north, the A82,, and also because of its attraction for walkers and climbers. Noted climbing venues include Buachaille Etive Mòr (1,018 metres resp. 3,340 feet), often called simply "The Beuchle", and various routes on the so-called Three Sisters (the shoulders of Bidean nam Bian). The Glencoe ski centre, also known as the "White Corries", is on the hill of Meall a' Bhuiridh, a munro with a height of 1,108 metres (3,635 feet), which is situated on the east side of Glen Etive, outside Glen Coe proper. This centre is popular with locals and is used by many skiers from the Glasgow area.
The Pass of Glen Coe was used as the location for "The Bridge of Death" and "The Gorge of Eternal Peril" in filming "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", attracting Monty Python pilgrims. Sets for the third Harry Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", were built near to the bottom of Clachaig Gully. Aerial shots of the glen also appeared in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince". Finally, there are some shots of the eastern glen, including Buachaille Etive Mòr in the James Bond film "Skyfall" (which was mainly set in Glen Etive).
The Saarschleife, also known as the Great Bend in the Saar at Mettlach, is a water gap carved by the Saar River through a quartzite layer and today one of the most well-known tourist attractions of the Saarland. Wikipedia
This is a familiar location for a lot of avid Ontario hikers, but a perspective which is a little less hammered home than others. This is the top of a really well known vantage point, but by largely ignoring the vantage point itself, you can really showcase the rugged landscape that Killarney is known for. Fall is really unlike any other time for this type of hike.
I never get tired of sunrise light on quartzite!
Taken with a Canon 5DIV and a 24-70 f/2.8Lii with a Lee landscape polarizer. Processed in Camera Raw and Photoshop
A la pointe de Pen Hir, les rochers de grès et quartzite servent de terrain de jeu aux grimpeurs.
Le départ des voies se fait au niveau de la mer.
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At the tip of Pen Hir, the sandstone and quartzite rocks serve as a playground for climbers.
The routes start at sea level.
Presqu'île de Crozon, Camaret-sur-Mer, Finistère, Bretagne, France
Bow Fiddle Rock is a natural sea arch near Portknockie on the north-eastern coast of Scotland. It is so called because it resembles the tip of a fiddle bow. It is composed of Quartzite, a metamorphic rock which was originally quartz sandstone.
This rock is part of the Cullen Quartzite formation which is seen along the coast between Buckie and Cullen. The formation is some 2,400m thick and dates from the Neoproterozoic Era, 1,000 to 541 million years ago.
This tree has quite the presence. Paddling into the area you see this tree looming over the lake, as if it's watching everything below. Up on the hill, the tree seems even more dominant. With roots nestled into the quartzite, all cracks in the rock lead to this tree and the lake below, almost as if the tree was an unspoken guardian, or silent observer. I always find it interesting when the most unlikely of characters becomes a subject of focus.
Taken with a Canon 5DIV, 24-10 f/2.8Lii, and a lee landscape polarizer. This panorama was stitched from several horizontal images to increase size. Processed in PTGui, Camera Raw and Photoshop.
Quartzite Falls flows through a small gorge, during autumn, near L'Anse Michigan in the Upper Peninsula.
Quartzite of Standley Chasm deposited in ocean floors 2.2 billion years ago, some of the oldest surface rocks and mineral formations in the world.
Mount Conner, also known as Attila and Artilla, is a mountain located in the southwest corner of the Northern Territory of Australia, 75 km southeast of Lake Amadeus and 90 km east southeast of Uluru. Mount Conner reaches 859 metres above sea level and to 300 metres above ground level. Mt Conner is situated on a vast, fully operational, privately owned cattle station called Curtin Springs Station.
Mount Conner is a flat-topped and horseshoe-shaped inselberg, part of the same vast rocky substrate thought to be beneath Uluru/Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta/Olgas.
It can easily be confused with Uluru, since it can be seen from the road to Uluru and Kata Tjuta, when approaching from Alice Springs.
It was named Mount Conner by William Gosse in 1873 after South Australian politician M. L. Conner. (sourced form en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Conner)
The conglomerate and quartzite formation measures 2 miles (3 km) by 0.75 mile (1.2 km), with sandstone and limestone ridges extending for 1.5 miles (2.5 km) from the base. The region’s Aborigines, who call the mountain Artilla, believe it to be the home of icemen who create cold weather. (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
This was captured on board a AAT Kings coach while travelling at 100 km/hr. The sun happened to be above and just behind me, so the reflections on the window was minimal.
Seen from this side, the quartzite outcrops and scree that give the mountain its name ("White Peak") are very obvious.
Scanned from the negative. I've previously posted a scan from a print; the colour balance is better here.
Os Passadiços do Cerro da Candosa, em Vila Nova do Ceira (Góis), oferecem um percurso pedestre seguro pelas encostas do vale do Rio Ceira, afluente do Mondego. Com cerca de 600 metros e 450 degraus, a estrutura de madeira serpenteia pelas fragas quartzíticas de 440 milhões de anos, resultado da transformação de areias marinhas. A iniciativa, promovida pela Junta de Freguesia e pelo município, visa revitalizar a região após os incêndios de 2017, permitindo o acesso a miradouros com vistas panorâmicas sobre o rio, a malha rural de Vila Nova do Ceira, e a Serra da Lousã. O percurso culmina no desfiladeiro conhecido como Cabril ou Portas do Ceira, um canhão fluvial com escarpas íngremes e vegetação exuberante. A intervenção integra-se numa estratégia de turismo sustentável, valorizando o património natural e promovendo a observação de aves e a interpretação ambiental nesta área de biodiversidade mediterrânica.
The Cerro da Candosa footbridges, in Vila Nova do Ceira (Góis), offer a safe pedestrian route along the slopes of the Ceira River valley, a tributary of the Mondego. With about 600 meters and 450 steps, the wooden structure winds through the 440 million year old quartzite cliffs, the result of the transformation of marine sands. The initiative, promoted by the Parish Council and the municipality, aims to revitalize the region after the 2017 fires, allowing access to viewpoints with panoramic views of the river, the rural network of Vila Nova do Ceira, and the Serra da Lousã. The route culminates in the gorge known as Cabril or Portas do Ceira, a river canyon with steep cliffs and lush vegetation. The intervention is part of a sustainable tourism strategy, valuing the natural heritage and promoting bird watching and environmental interpretation in this area of Mediterranean biodiversity.
I love the way quartzite shines in golden light. It has a sort of subtle softness to it. Killarney is just amazing for views that feature that beautiful exposed rock and lovely forests. This scene was one I won't soon forget. I love the way the wispy trees just seem to flow with the scene. What a spot.
In 'Explore', 2022.04.01
Exakta Varex, Ektachrome X, two original 35mm slides scanned, panorama stitching and development in Lightroom.
"Quartzite is very resistant to chemical weathering and often forms ridges and resistant hilltops. The nearly pure silica content of the rock provides little material for soil; therefore, the quartzite ridges are often bare or covered only with a very thin layer of soil and little (if any) vegetation." (Wikipedia)
#AB_FAV_IN_AUTUMN_ 🍄🍁🍂
or GOLDEN HANDSHAKE? LOL
An Autumn Sunday in North-Wales.
Little winding roads amongst the golden larches, up towards Mount Snowdon, this river surprised me with its golden and indigo colours, the limpid water ice cold and wild.
Wales, with its dramatic scenery, is steeped in mystery and romance.
Its majestic heather-clad hills cut by cascading waterfalls, and mountain streams rushing through gladed valleys are both the places of legends and of history running back into the mists of time.
Yet, beneath the quartzite surface of this jewelled landscape, there is another treasure, as valuable as it is beautiful – Welsh gold.
Today, Welsh gold is scarcer than it has ever been. When mining took place at the Clogau St. David’s Gold Mine in the late 1990s it used to cost over £1000 an ounce to extract.
Look at that golden hand, maybe a giant fell?
Isn't imagination a wonderful gift?
I wish you all a golden day and thank you for visiting, Magda (*_*)
For more: www.indigo2photography.com
Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
river, hand, leaves, Snowdonia, rapids, water, rocks, Wales, colour, horizontal, "Nikon F4", "Magda indigo"
"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." Edith Wharton.
Although sometimes it snows on Mount Errigal during the cold winter months, during the rest of the year a similar effect can also be achieved, when the sunlight hits on its quartzite surface during the day and part of its silhouette reflects a beautiful white light.
During our visit in September, there were several compositions in my mind, but I only had a sunset and a sunrise to photograph the mountain, so it was clear that I would try to get some of my options during the day. Errigal is very different depending on the place from which the mountain is admired, its sides being really different from each other. When we were driving from Dunlewey to Bunbeg for lunch the clouds were spectacular and sometimes they let in enough light to illuminate the mountain, so I had no doubts and stopped the car at Gweedore, from there I walked to the bank of the River Clady and waited patiently for several minutes, until the wind stopped and I was able to capture not only the sunlight reflected on the mountain, but also Errigal reflection on the river. A wonderful scene in the middle of the day, at a time when it is often advised not to photograph, but which can also offer us magnificent possibilities.
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"Hay dos formas de difundir la luz: ser la vela o el espejo que la refleja". Edith Wharton.
Aunque a veces nieva sobre el Monte Errigal durante los fríos meses invernales, durante el resto del año se puede conseguir también un efecto similar, cuando la luz del sol incide sobre su superficie de cuarcita durante el día y parte de su silueta refleja una preciosa luz blanca.
Durante nuestra visita en septiembre, había varias composiciones en mi mente, pero solo contaba con un atardecer y un amanecer para fotografiar la montaña, por lo que tenía claro que intentaría conseguir alguna de mis opciones durante el día. Errigal se muestra muy diferente según el lugar desde el que se admire la montaña, siendo sus lados realmente distintos entre sí. Cuando conducíamos desde Dunlewey hacia Bunbeg para almorzar, las nubes eran espectaculares y a veces dejaban pasar la suficiente luz para iluminar la montaña, así que no tuve dudas y paré el coche en Gweedore, desde allí caminé hasta la orilla del río Clady y esperé pacientemente durante varios minutos, hasta que el viento paró y pude capturar no solo la luz del sol reflejada en la montaña, sino también el reflejo Errigal en el río. Una escena maravillosa en el medio del día, a una hora en la que a menudo se aconseja no fotografiar, pero que puede ofrecernos posibilidades magníficas también.
A lone Conifer emerges from the quartzite cliff face of "The Crack" to stand lookout over Killarney Provincial Park.
Bow Fiddle Rock is a natural sea arch near Portknockie on the north-eastern coast of Scotland. It is so called because it resembles the tip of a fiddle bow. It is composed of Quartzite, a metamorphic rock which was originally quartz sandstone.
This rock is part of the Cullen Quartzite formation which is seen along the coast between Buckie and Cullen. The formation is some 2,400m thick and dates from the Neoproterozoic Era, 1,000 to 541 million years ago.
Pilot Mountain, a metamorphic quartzite monadnock rising to a peak 2,421 feet . It is a remnant of the ancient chain of Sauratown Mountains, NC. The Saura Native Americans, the region's earliest known inhabitants, called the mountain "Jomeokee", meaning "great guide❤️
Exakta Varex, Ektachrome X, three original 35mm slides scanned, panorama stitching and development in Photoshop and Lightroom.
Foinaven (Scottish Gaelic: Foinne Bheinn) is a mountain in Scotland, situated in the far north-west corner of the Scottish Highlands. Like many of the monolithic mountains that surround it, the mountain is [...] made up of imbricated layers of Cambrian quartzite [...]. (Wikipedia)
This Quartzite sample is from INCO's Lawson Quarry and is on display at the A.Y. Jackson Lookout and Park located off Highway 144 in Greater Sudbury in Northeastern Ontario Canada
Quartzite a metamorphic rock composed almost entirely of quartz. The type of Quartzite rock from the Lawson Quarry was used in INCO's Smelting process.
Devil's Lake is one of three places on earth that has natural Quartzite. One must climb down stairs made from this material as you descend from Balance Rock. Five exposure HDR processed with Nik HDR Efex Pro 2
The Pinnacle Rock is a massive quartzite rock that erupts from the earth’s surface and reaches some 30 metres in height. It is a freestanding rock that towers over the dense indigenous forest of Driekop Gorge in a dramatic display of nature’s quirks and the unique splendour of South Africa. It is littered with stunning, brightly-coloured aloes that not only add to the appeal amongst the local birds and insect species but also make for extra beautiful photographs of the rock and its surrounds. There are public ablutions available here, as well as vendors sitting at this attraction selling African curios and keepsakes. These stalls are a delight to visitors and locals alike and the vendors are friendly and helpful.
Info source URL: www.sa-venues.com/attractionsmpl/pinnacle-rock.php
Photo capture date & Location: 2019-10 Sabi River Sun Resort
Another of the mult-colored bouquet agates from Tapado, collected in 2004 and polished today. I will take few of these to Quartzite.
Old Minnehaha County Courthouse, Sioux Falls, SD. Rear of building and 6th Street side entrance. The courthouse was built in 1890 and served as the county seat until 1962. It is built from locally quarried quartzite. It now houses a museum. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Huperzia gnidioides growing on quartzite sandstone rocks in Parque Nacional De Chimanimani. It's place in the grand scheme of botanical taxonomy is as odd as its looks. It's one of several Lycophytes found in the area. Lycophytes are vascular plants reproducing through spores and therefor are usually treated as allies to ferns but they are not quite ferns at all. In fact "true" ferns are phylogenetically more closely allied to flowering plants than they are to Lycophytes.
Deep sea loch with quartzite topped mountains on the horizon.
19th century lime kilns can be seen on Ard Neakie. Here the Durness limestone was heated to produce lime for improving the acidic peaty soil and for making mortar for building.
One of a series of shots taken during a short trip along the Geological Trail on the NW of Scotland (www.nwhgeopark.com).
#AbFav_PHOTOSTORY
#AbFav_WATER_💦
or GOLDEN HANDSHAKE? LOL
An Autumn Sunday in North-Wales.
Little winding roads amongst the golden larches, up towards Mount Snowdon, this river surprised me with its golden and indigo colours, the limpid water ice cold and wild.
Wales, with its dramatic scenery, is steeped in mystery and romance.
Its majestic heather-clad hills cut by cascading waterfalls, and mountain streams rushing through gladed valleys are both the places of legends and of history running back into the mists of time.
Yet, beneath the quartzite surface of this jewelled landscape, there is another treasure, as valuable as it is beautiful – Welsh gold.
Today, Welsh gold is scarcer than it has ever been. When mining took place at the Clogau St. David’s Gold Mine in the late 1990s it used to cost over £1000 an ounce to extract.
Look at that golden hand, maybe a giant fell?
Isn't imagination a wonderful gift?
I wish you all a golden day and thank you for visiting, Magda (*_*)
For more: www.indigo2photography.com
Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
river, hand, leaves, Snowdonia, rapids, water, rocks, Wales, colour, horizontal, "Nikon F4", "magda indigo"
The Stiperstones is a distinctive hill in the county of Shropshire. It is a quartzite ridge formed some 480 million years ago. During the last Ice Age the summit stood out above the glaciers and was subject to constant freezing and thawing which shattered the quartzite into a mass of jumbled scree surrounding several residual rocky tors. At 1,759 feet above sea level it is the second-highest hill in the county. Stiperstones' five mile summit ridge is crowned by several rugged, jagged outcrops of rock (one of which is pictured) silhouetted against the sky.