UAE | Environment
Sands of time: The seven colours of the UAE?
The "seven sands" is an unforgettable piece of memorabilia that makes you wonder about the winds of time that have blown across the UAE's stunningly beautiful desertscape over centuries.
But are the seven colours of sands truly confined to the seven emirates respectively? Does each emirate have sand of a different colour?
- Gulf News
- Published: 08:57 January 26, 2013
-
The sands of the UAE
The colour that sand acquires depends largely on what it is formed from. There is not really one single hue that is common or symbolic of one emirate. Sands have different colours, depending on their composition. Geologists say this attribution of one colour of sand to one emirate is more of a sales gimmick than a geological pointer.
-
Ras Al Khaimah: White
The white-coloured sand is made from sandstone, which has plenty of quartz.
-
Abu Dhabi: Light red
The light red colour of sand means there is a lighter concentration of iron oxide.
-
Dubai: Red
The red coloured sand suggests a stronger concentration of iron oxide.
-
Sharjah: Brown
This colour suggests the sand contains some organic material, iron and lead suplhide sediments in the limestone.
-
Umm Al Quwain: Greyish-blue
The greyish-blue colour comes from iron in its reduced condition. When iron stands in water it does not get oxidised and lends a greyish-blue hue.
-
Ajman: Cream
This colour could possibly come from a lesser quantity of quartz present in silica or it is possible that the sands have a greater sediments of white coral deposits
-
Fujairah: Dark blue to black
The colour possibly stands for the sand that is obtained from corrosion of gabro rock found in the mountain range in the emirate.
-
The sands of the UAE
The fact remains that sands are continuously shifting and are transported to different areas. No one area has a single coloured sand. We can find at least 30 differing hues of sand in each emirate. The sand in this region comes in as Aeolian deposits that are brought in by the winds. Sand and dust travel long distances and most of it is blown in from Central Asia.
Related Articles
-
Five fantastic fake-ations in the UAE
Who needs the hassle of visas and jet lag when we have resorts to rival the best in the world?
-
UAE off roads: Where the action is
Desert driving enthusiasts in the country use 4X4s to create a community
More from UAE Environment
More from UAE
Latest news
- Concern over depression among school kids
- Curl up in style : More sleeping pods in AUH
- Click and your Facebook will be hacked
- Crew of abandoned ship stranded in Khor Fakkan
- Indian man enters UAE on his namesake’s passport
- Miracle baby celebrates first birthday
- Ten dumbest excuses given for a crime
- Breaking the law
- Man alleges wife ran him down after quarrel
- Jail term upheld for gang who hid 50kg of heroin
- Searing punishment costs woman son’s custody
- New uniforms to be introduced at public schools
- Three men accused of stabbing victim to death
- Businessman loses appeal, gets 7 years in jail
- Shaikha Jawaher launches donation for refugees
Community Reports
-
Breaking the law
Reader points out that cyclists break the rules and are inconsiderate of other road users.
-
Good deed marks first anniversary
Serve the Heroes group provides refreshments to construction workers to mark first anniversary
-
Spitting in public is as bad as vandalism
Habit damages public property while also being a health hazard
-
Noise pollution haunts Abu Dhabi residents
COMMUNITY REPORT Inconsiderate motorists turn Khalifa Bin Zayed Street into a parking nightmare
