6: Desert Roses

Desert roses can be revealed from under the sand in opportune conditions as the groundwater falls and the wind blows away loose sand. The clusters range from tiny to up to several hundreds of kilograms. In terms of geologic time, desert roses form very fast: the formation of one crystal cluster takes from tens to hundreds of years. The fast formation explains their local abundance in suitable conditions around the world. Desert roses occur in various arid regions, such as Africa and the Middle East. The largest desert roses have been found in the Sahara Desert.