Imperial Sand Dunes, Chocolate Mountains Mining District, Chocolate Mountains, Imperial County, California, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Imperial Sand Dunes | Dune |
| Chocolate Mountains Mining District | Mining District |
| Chocolate Mountains | Mountain Range |
| Imperial County | County |
| California | State |
| USA | Country |
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Type:
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Algodones Dunes, Glamis Dunes
The Imperial Sand Dunes (called the Algodones Dunes in geologic literature), Imperial Co., CA, form a 40-mile-long Quaternary dune field derived mainly from Colorado River sediments reworked from ancient Lake Cahuilla shorelines. Sand is dominated by quartz & feldspar with minor lithic grains; trace heavy minerals (biotite, garnet, hornblende, magnetite, tourmaline, zircon) are present but inconspicuous. Well-sorted, fine sand reflects prolonged eolian transport, surface weathering, & sediment supply from the Colorado River delta system. The dune complex records interaction of wind regimes, subsidence of the Salton Trough, & sediment supply, making it California’s largest eolian landform. Smith et al. (1984, USGS OFR 84-630) use the name Algodones Dunes; the BLM later adopted the public name “Imperial Sand Dunes.”
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ 'Biotite' Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| ⓘ 'Calcium Amphibole Subgroup' Formula: AnCa2(Z2+5-mZ3+m)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| ⓘ 'Calcium Amphibole Subgroup var. Hornblende' Formula: AnCa2(Z2+5-mZ3+m)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| ⓘ 'Feldspar Group' |
| ⓘ 'Garnet Group' Formula: X3Z2(SiO4)3 |
| ⓘ Magnetite Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4 |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ 'Tourmaline' Formula: AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z |
| ⓘ Zircon Formula: Zr(SiO4) |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Magnetite | 4.BB.05 | Fe2+Fe3+2O4 |
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Zircon | 9.AD.30 | Zr(SiO4) |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Biotite' | - | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| ⓘ | 'Feldspar Group' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Calcium Amphibole Subgroup var. Hornblende' | - | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZ3+m)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| ⓘ | 'Tourmaline' | - | AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z |
| ⓘ | 'Garnet Group' | - | X3Z2(SiO4)3 |
| ⓘ | 'Calcium Amphibole Subgroup' | - | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZ3+m)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| H | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup var. Hornblende | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| H | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| B | Boron | |
| B | ⓘ Tourmaline | AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| O | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup var. Hornblende | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| O | ⓘ Magnetite | Fe2+Fe23+O4 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Tourmaline | AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z |
| O | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
| O | ⓘ Garnet Group | X3Z2(SiO4)3 |
| O | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| F | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup var. Hornblende | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| F | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup var. Hornblende | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup var. Hornblende | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
| Si | ⓘ Garnet Group | X3Z2(SiO4)3 |
| Si | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup var. Hornblende | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Cl | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup var. Hornblende | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcium Amphibole Subgroup | AnCa2(Z2+5-mZm3+)(Si8-(n+m)Al(n+m))(OH,F,Cl)2 |
| Ti | Titanium | |
| Ti | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Magnetite | Fe2+Fe23+O4 |
| Zr | Zirconium | |
| Zr | ⓘ Zircon | Zr(SiO4) |
Fossils
This region is too big or complex to display the fossil list, try looking at smaller subregions.Other Regions, Features and Areas that Intersect
North AmericaContinent
- Sonoran DesertDesert
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Basin and Range BasinsBasin
- Franciscan DomainDomain
- Gulf of California CoastWide Rift
- Mojave DomainDomain
- Southern California Borderland BasinsBasin
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