These spectacular rainbow coloured mountains are part of the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park in China. Layers of coloured sandstone and minerals were pressed together over 24 million years by wind, rain and shifting tectonic plates.
As is always the case with spectacular geology, the Rainbow Mountains took millions of years to form.
Eons ago, the area was part of the ocean floor. Over time, as the Earth’s tectonic plates shifted, mountains were formed and rose above sea level. Next, over millions of years, sandstone and other mineral sediments were deposited in layers of different colors.
Over time, as the mountains rose higher, river erosion formed gorges, China Highlights explains. Further erosion from both water and wind over millions of years exposed the red, purple, yellow, green, and gray layers.
By the way, China isn’t the only place where you can find a rainbow-colored mountain. Deep in the Peruvian Andes, Vinicna Mountain — known as Montana de Colores or Rainbow Mountain — was formed in the same way.
Credit : Travel Awaits
Picture Credit : Google
