Silver Island Mountains, Tooele County, Utah. Photo by Adam Hiscock.
Gypsum crystals from drying mudflats are blown into dunes patterned with sinuous ripples along the eastern margin of the Great Salt Lake Desert. Gypsum—an evaporite mineral that is soluble in water—is an uncommon constituent of sand.
Knolls Dunes, Tooele County, Utah. Photo by Andy Cvar.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UTAH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) is a division of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Several specialized programs comprise the UGS: Data Management, Energy & Minerals, Geologic Hazards, Geologic Information & Outreach, Geologic Mapping, Groundwater & Wetlands, and Paleontology.