Vale da Lua (Moon Valley) Brazil

Juano

Very interesting geological formation in Central Brazil. CCs welcome always

David_S85

These interesting photos show a very small area. How big is Moon Valley?

Juano

It’s not very big. You are right that the pictures only show a small area, it was a Sunday and very difficult not to include a Brazilian in a sunga or a minuscule bikini! Hence the tight shots...

torags

Hey I want to see the chic in the bikini..!...

Nice limestone rock formations

Juano

@torags said:
Hey I want to see the chic in the bikini..!...

Nice limestone rock formations

Ha! I'm sure you do!

Cornflake

Is it limestone? My first thought was sandstone but I'm no geologist.

The second is very good. With the first one I have a lot of trouble making sense of what I'm seeing.

Juano

Thanks Cornflake, as I said it was difficult to convey a better sense of the place, I'm hoping to be able to go back on a less crowded day. I'm no geologist, but found this description online:

The Vale da Lua represents the best-known outcrops of
the basal unit of the Paranoá Group, which can be classified as
a sedimentologic, stratigraphic and geomorphological site. The
rocks of this unit are constituted by matrix supported
conglomerate, badly selected, of gray color and carbonate rich,
and this last feature is responsible for the differential action of
the fluvial erosion, that results in peculiar forms of great
natural beauty sculpted in the rocks. The São Miguel
conglomerate was affected by important diagenetic processes,
related to the recrystallization of most carbonate originally
present as matrix and now considered as a "pseudo cement",
that now corresponds, on average, to almost half of the rock
composition. The characteristic evidenced by thin sections
analyses show that the rock (clast and matrix) were submitted
to low-grade metamorphism. The Vale da Lua is well
preserved and to keep this condition it is necessary to increase
the information to the visitors about the rocks conditions
formation (including depositional and sedimentary processes),
once there is great confusion by part of the public, and many
believe in volcanic origin to the local rocks. It is important to
emphasize the warning plates, the importance of the area
preservation, the prohibition of getting rock samples and the
general maintenance of the place.

Here's another pic

sarasphotos

Wow, Cristóbal I love these shapes. Nice contrase with the flowing water and the jagged stone shapes. Really nice exposures, too.

Juano

@sarasphotos said:
Wow, Cristóbal I love these shapes. Nice contrase with the flowing water and the jagged stone shapes. Really nice exposures, too.

Thanks Sara, it is a unique location for sure.

kdog

Very cool, Cristobal!

Juano

@kdog said:
Very cool, Cristobal!

Thanks for looking!