A favorite place of mine to visit and shoot is Factory Butte in Southern Utah. The years of weathering and erosion have created a masterpiece that is best viewed from above. The yellow mineral deposits in the gray Mancos Shale is Jarosite. This is a yellow-colored iron sulfate mineral that often forms in arid, acidic environments, such as the weathering of iron-rich shale. Sulfur and gypsum are also present.
Factory Butte’s formation is the result of a geological process spanning nearly 100 million years, divided into two distinct phases: the deposition of ancient sediments and the subsequent erosional sculpting of the landscape. This area was under a sea of water which deposited the sediments. The sharp ridges and “lunar” badlands at the base are the result of centuries of relentless erosion by rainwater and wind that continue to shape the formation today. I would not want to get lost in that maze.
Video to follow soon. These images were captured via drone.
