Geology

1.7 billion year old crystalline basement rock, Death Valley

All three families of rock are evident in the Mojave Desert — igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. The earliest rock, related to the metamorphic gneiss and schist at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, has little exposure in the Mojave, but can be seen at Saddle Island in Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NRA) and parts of Death Valley National Park (NP). Changed from preexisting rock by immense temperature and/or pressure (without melting), this metamorphic rock is ancient — from the Precambrian Era, formed about 1.6 to 1.8 billion years ago.

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Disclaimer: Some portions of this project were developed with assistance from AI tools to help reconstruct historical contexts and fill informational gaps. All materials have been reviewed and fact-checked to ensure accuracy and reliability, though complete precision cannot be guaranteed. The aim is to provide dependable starting points and distinctive perspectives for further study, exploration, and research.

These materials are historical in nature and intended for educational use only; they are not designed as travel guides or planning resources.
Copyright - Walter Feller. 1995-2025. All rights reserved.

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