Why are there stones in the Black Sea. Guide to Sochi pebbles: Gneisses, quartzites, basalts and golden sand. Sea stones - description and composition

The young, still developing world always consists of stone, water and fire. This is what the planet looked like a billion years ago. A sky overcast with storm clouds reflecting the flames of erupting volcanoes, and a raging, eternally stormy sea.

In the crazy chaos of lightning, thunder and the roar of volcanoes was born. This is it today, cozy and green, but then everything looked completely different. The land, trembling nervously in continuous waves, spewed out of itself what would later become basalt and gneiss.

The mountains, crawling on each other like gigantic monsters, gnawed and maimed each other, dropping huge blocks of granite and gabbro.

Only with the passage of time did the earth gradually get rid of the birth pangs and calm down, from time to time throwing columns of volcanic eruptions into the gradually clearing sky and trembling with the rocky surface, crumbling and grinding individual blocks and rocks.

water world

The climate became gradually milder. Warm waters filled lowlands and depressions, and such life was born in them. Outlandish crustaceans and molluscs spread surprisingly abundantly in warm seas. Dying away, they literally covered the bottom with their shells and shells. More and more mollusks appeared in warm brackish water, the layer of their remains at the bottom became thicker and denser and harder. Collapsing under their own weight, the shells were mixed, as if growing together with each other, turning into solid blocks of stone.

A rolling stone does not grow moss

Those stones that are found in everyday life, in most cases, are the remains of either destroyed sedimentary rocks, which makes up approximately 75% of the total number of stones, or metamorphic rocks of the order of 18–20%, that is, rocks that have changed inside the earth under the influence of pressure and temperature. Everything else is igneous rocks, such as granites and basalts. Source rocks from the depths of the planet.

All these boulder stones acquired their present form mainly as a result of weathering on land and rolling in the water of rivers. Only an insignificant part of the remnant stones on the plains has retained, if not the original, then at least a fairly ancient appearance, but weathering has also affected them, this is especially noticeable in the case when a boulder or remnant is composed of sedimentary rocks, which are relatively easily destroyed as a result of atmospheric phenomena. As an example, one can cite the characteristic figures of weathering in the valley of ghosts on South Demerdzhi in the Crimean mountains.

There were several classifications of gems. Now it is generally accepted to divide them into 3 categories. The first includes the rarest and most expensive, the third includes ornamental stones. Not only jewelry is made from minerals, but also figurines, talismans and other carved figures.

Gemstones are gems with a hardness greater than 6 and the ability to scatter light. They are characterized by a uniform color or lack of color, wear resistance, resistance to aggressive environments and fading. They belong to high-quality raw materials, most of them are cut.

The hardness scale was invented in 1811 by the German scientist Friedrich Moos. It was based on the principle of comparing rocks of different hardness. The hardest stone is diamond.

Another group of stones is called ornamental. These include crystals, including opaque ones, and stones with inclusions and patterns. Carvings, decorations are made from them, used for finishing work.

There are several types of gems, professionals divide them into 3 groups, depending on their value. This classification was proposed by V. Ya. Kievlenko.

According to the classification of M. Bauer, all gems are divided into precious, ornamental and organogenic stones, which include amber, pearls and coral. The most expensive are natural stones, very rare in nature.

The minerals presented in the first group are called jewelry (precious) and are divided into 4 categories.

1. The most is diamond, followed by sapphire (blue), ruby ​​and emerald.
2. Orange, green and purple sapphires are cheaper than blue ones, jadeite, alexandrite, pearls, black opal.
3. Demantoid, topaz, aquamarine, red tourmaline, the most valuable among opals are fire and white.
4. Turquoise, tourmaline, amethyst, beryl, chrysolite, beryl (pink, yellow), chrysoprase.

Jewelry can vary greatly in value, since several criteria affect the price of a stone at once. The four main ones are clarity, color, weight and cut.

After cutting, the color of the finished insert is evaluated by tone, saturation and hue. Emeralds and rubies have one main color, but there can be several shades of it. Tourmalines and topazes can be of different colors, each of which has a certain value. The handwork of the master cutter allows the gem to play and sparkle in good light, bringing out the natural beauty of the mineral. The cost of rare large gems can increase exponentially in relation to their mass.

Group 2 includes colored and jewelry and ornamental stones. It consists of two groups.

1. Malachite, amber, smoky quartz, jade, hematite, jadeite, rock crystal.
2. Opaque feldspars, heliotrope, agate, rose quartz, common opal, colored chalcedony.

These stones are well polished and used as an insert in jewelry and are used for souvenirs and figurines.

The third group consists of ornamental stones. These include: fluorite, selenite, colored marble, granite, jasper, obsidian, jet, aventurine quartzite. Large products are cut out of them, the height of which can reach several tens of centimeters.

Mineral prices may change when new deposits are discovered or influenced by fashion. Only specialists can distinguish a synthetic stone from a natural one, since they are similar in physical and chemical properties to natural gems.

Sea stone (or pebbles), which we all loved to collect in childhood on the Black Sea beaches, has an interesting history. Millions of years ago, the formation of the Caucasus Mountains occurred with a violent volcanic eruption, flows of hardened lava in the form of plates, debris and small pieces were carried away by the course of mountain rivers and fell into the sea. The sea waves continued to grind and roll over the fragments, crushing and giving the stones a rounded shape.

Types of sea stones

The pebbles that we all love to play on the beach are a real rock, a witness of prehistoric times. Light porous pumice - the remains of petrified volcanic magma, frozen far from the place of the eruption and caught air - hence the numerous pores. The name of sea stones, smoother and heavier, is basalts and tuffs. They were formed at the exit of lava from the volcano. And the heaviest sea stone - granite - originated in its very mouth.

The glossy egg-shaped rounded granite blocks that we can see on the beach are a strong and shiny (thanks to a mixture of mica, quartz and feldspar) sample of volcanic rock. Monuments and obelisks are erected from it, it is in demand by builders and designers. Other finishing stones - basalts, tuffs of different shades - are perfect for facing surfaces. Almost any sea stone can be used for applied or decorative purposes.

On the beach you can also find samples of semi-precious minerals - syenites, porphyrites, chrysolites. These beautiful sea stones are used in the creation of jewelry and bijouterie. There is also a favorite of healers - chalcedony. Even older than rocks, these stones also come from volcanic craters.

Sea stones - description and composition

Another option for using this wonderful is decorative figurines and garden sculptures. There is no limit to the flight of creative imagination. Stones are grouped, glued, painted, decorated with whatever your heart desires. Crafts from sea stones, the photos of which you see in this article, can be made by everyone.

As a result, we see bright ladybugs, frogs, caterpillars, snails ... You can make "vegetables" and "fruits", "mushrooms" are especially popular, placed in different parts of the garden. Large stones of a suitable shape are painted in the form of tigers, sharks, crocodiles, dogs, cats, and even fabulous gnomes or elves. Decorative pots or buckets filled with "strawberries" or "apples" from painted stones will serve as an original decoration of the garden.

We make with the child

But what to do when it’s winter outside, summer cottage joys are forgotten, and at home, nevertheless, there is a bunch of pretty pebbles lying around that you just want to attach somewhere! Try hand crafting with your child. This fascinating activity will not only diversify the long winter evenings, but will also leave you with wonderful souvenirs, at the mere sight of which your mood will rise.

What crafts from sea stones can you come up with? Yes, the most varied! The list of ideas is almost inexhaustible! For example, you can make a gnome or even a whole family of gnomes (or domovyat). If you perform them in the same style, then on the New Year's holiday you can wonderfully decorate the apartment by seating the figures in the corners, under the Christmas tree, on the bookshelves, etc.

DIY technology

For work, in addition to stones, paints and brushes for them, superglue, a variety of materials for decoration (what you can find) - scraps of fabric and fur, beads, threads or yarn, small feathers. Accessories in the form of "eyes" of characters are sold in sewing accessories stores, but you can also replace them with colored beads or cute flat small buttons.

Pebbles must be thoroughly washed and dried before work. Glue the eyes on the pebbles - "faces", noses can be drawn or glued instead of them large beads or balls of wool. Smiling mouths are painted with paints or "spread" from bright woolen threads. You can also draw them on colored paper, cut and glue. After that, make hair and beards for the gnomes from fur, thread, feathers or down - whatever is at hand.

The torsos of gnomes, as well as caps, are easy to make from colored patches, sewing them in the shape of a cone and filling them with something like cotton wool or scraps of sintepom. With the help of strong glue, the heads are attached to the bodies - funny figures are ready!

How to decorate a refrigerator

Fridge magnets are in every family with children. But we will have unusual ones - made of pebbles! Let's make monster magnets. Flat stones, washed and dried, are painted on both sides in bright colors. After drying, we draw creepy mouths with bared teeth for the "monsters" and glue the eyes.

We attach a magnet to the back of each stone with superglue. If the stones are large enough and heavy - a pair of magnets. The original decoration for the refrigerator is ready!

Best of all, oval-shaped pebbles make bright fish, as well as birds with unusual plumage. You can also make a mouse. In addition to pebbles and superglue, prepare scissors, paper and colored scraps. Ears and a tail for a future mouse are cut out of the fabric, glued in the right places on an oblong gray stone. Smaller pebbles will serve as paws, bundles of threads will serve as antennae. Glue the eyes (you can pair them in the form of paper circles - the white ones are wider down, the black ones are smaller on top of them). Here is the cute mouse.

If you prefer a bird, then take a rounder pebble, make a beak from a fabric of a suitable color (fold the patch into a triangle with a sharp end, glue it to the pebble head with the wide side). In the right place, mark the eyes, take care of the plumage. Ready!

creative aquarium

Best of all, fish are obtained from small oblong pebbles. Having made several pieces of different sizes, types and colors, you can organize an original decorative "aquarium" from a suitable box, complementing the composition with large "boulders" and "sea grass" made of thread or colored paper.

Another option is to "launch" our "fish" in a real aquarium with water as decorative elements (you have to take care of indelible paint and reliable materials for decoration).

So, we make fish. Pebbles, as usual, wash and dry. With a simple pencil, we mark on each of them the contours of the fins, head, tail. We paint the fish in different colors, cut out the tails and fins and make them separately, then glue them to the bodies.

Any material is suitable for this - colored paper, strips of fabric, shiny foil, even a suitable feather shape. We also glue the eyes in the right places (we take ready-made decorative elements or just shiny convex beads).

Additional ideas

If the fish is supposed to be "launched" into the aquatic environment, then the tail and fins can be cut out of transparent plastic from unnecessary plastic bottles of different colors. This material is truly versatile. It is possible to obtain a variety of decorative elements from it, it is easily cut, processed and takes the desired shape.

For example, thin, long and slightly curled strips make a great tail for our "goldfish" (especially if you take a brown or yellow bottle). Their small scraps of plastic will come out with hard, sharp "fins" that can be glued to the backs of the fish.

A decorative aquarium can be filled with real plants in small pots, which are masked by the same sea pebbles. And if, in addition, you organize special lighting for it and carefully think over the composition, such an aquarium will decorate any room - living room, hallway or children's corner.

Minerals form under many different environmental conditions inside the Earth. Most gemstones are formed in the earth bark- the upper layer of the planet with a depth of 3 to 25 miles. Only two varieties of precious stones - and are formed in the earth robes, which represents 80% of the Earth's volume. The mantle is mainly composed of molten rock called magma, with a hard top layer.

Although few of the gems are originally formed in the mantle, all gems are mined in the earth's crust. The crust is made up of three types of rocks known in geology as volcanic, metamorphic And sedimentary. These technical terms refer to the way rocks are formed. Some gemstones are particularly associated with one type of rock, while others are associated with several types of rock.

The volcanic process involves the solidification of magma. Magma from the mantle can rise to the crust, usually through volcanic pipes. If it reaches the surface of the earth, it solidifies in the form of lava. However, if the igneous mass cools slowly in the crust, it can crystallize and form minerals. An increase in pressure can also force this pegmatoid fluid into the surrounding rocks, often chemically exchanging with them. A long list of gemstones formed from volcanic rock includes the group , all (including , and ), ( , and ), , And .

When volcanic rock reaches the earth's surface, the forces of erosion and atmospheric action cause it to break into smaller particles that accumulate on the surface or are moved by wind and water. Over time, layers of such sediments form on the ground or under water. Pressure from the upper layers causes compaction in the lower layers along with various chemical and physical changes, such as petrification, which leads to the creation of sedimentary rock. Evaporation is another process that produces sedimentary rocks, as is the case when the dripping of mineral-rich water forms stalactites or stalagmites. Gems associated with sedimentary rock include , and .

The presence of intrusive magma in a given zone (known as contact metamorphism) or the interaction of larger scale tectonic plates (known as regional metamorphism) exposes volcanic and sedimentary rocks and minerals to heat or pressure that can cause changes in their chemical and crystalline structures. The result is the creation of a metamorphic rock. Gems associated with metamorphic rock include

The museum, which, in terms of the number of collected exhibits, is far ahead of any of the museums in the world. In it, without any permission, you can touch the exhibits with your hands, take pictures with them, and even ... trample these exhibits with your feet. If you want to take some especially vending rarity from the museum with you, no one will say a word of reproach to you: those around you see you off with a sympathetic, approving look.

The reader, of course, guessed that we are talking about our Sochi pebble beach- unique in its content and invariably arousing great interest of visitors-resorts. This, of course, is a natural historical and geological museum, in which each pebble-exhibit is calibrated to the desired size, smoothly turned and polished by sea waves, and washed clean before being shown to the general public.

History of appearance sea ​​pebbles on our beach is interesting in itself. Numerous mountain rivers and rivulets have been eroding the layers and strata of the Caucasus Mountains for centuries, carrying to the Black Sea, either with a calm fast current, or with a seething thunderstorm stream, a mass of rocky breaks, boulders, and slabs of various shapes. The sea, accepting all this material already in a partially crushed form, continued to grind and sort by size, run in and polish the “works” of mountains that fell into its waves. Geologists call these works rocks, and the history of their appearance, numbering many millions of years, is the most ancient and mysterious history of our land, the history of our region, captured so vividly in the exhibited stones of the Sochi beach.

Seventy million years ago, the Caucasus Mountains grew and formed. Their growth was accompanied by a roar and a roar, fiery rivers of erupted lava. Most of the Caucasian peaks of the Central Range are extinct volcanoes. And the pebbles brought to the beach very eloquently tell about the volcanism that raged here. Here pumice- a porous hygienic pebble is a frozen volcanic magma, which has erupted far, caught air and is therefore very light. Here are the "frozen" at the exit of the volcano tuffs And basalts- they are heavier than pumice, but much lighter than granite. Granite on the beach, these are the washed out roots of the mountains, the magma that solidified inside the volcano.

Heavy granite- pebble stones, usually white, egg-shaped - the most famous representative of volcanic rocks. Thanks to the brilliance of the minerals evenly mixed in it (and we all know from school years that it is quartz, mica and feldspar), due to its hardness and strength, it became the stone of monuments, obelisks and monuments. However, once on a pebble beach, granite pebbles have lost their monumental perspective, and all its beauty is aimed at creating a good mood for people relaxing by the sea.

Other igneous rocks found under our feet - tuffs different shades, basalts- also a widely used facing and building material. There are among the outflowing rocks and semi-precious, decorative pebbles - porphyrites, syenites, chrysolites. To these can be added numerous quartzites- transparent and translucent pebbles, as well as durable flint-chalcedony, about the healing properties of which famous healers at once started talking in our time. These minerals, which are not related to rocks, and therefore more ancient in their origin, also came to our beaches from the vents of volcanoes.

Long before the Caucasus Mountains grew, the territory of the entire Sochi and the Krasnodar Territory was the seabed. In no case should one be surprised at this, because long before the appearance of man on earth, the entire territory of the current Russian Federation was the seabed. In our places, the land repeatedly rose above the sea, islands appeared, which were covered with tropical vegetation. It has long been proven that dinosaurs and other ancient land animals lived in our area. Then all this was again absorbed by the deep sea, and on the seabed there was a continuous process of accumulation of sedimentary rocks. When the mountains heaved up, the layers at the bottom of the sea also began to move. They also became mountains, lateral Caucasian ranges, and the rocks accumulated in them also began to be destroyed by rivers and roll into the sea.

The predominant sedimentary rock in the composition sea ​​pebbles- This sandstone. There are gray, tobacco-colored, brown, yellow sandstone pebbles - depending on the composition of the sand that settled at the bottom of the sea. Often the sandstone is indented with white veins running in different directions. This - hieroglyphs. According to the theory of the Dutch scientist F. Künen, calcite and other veinlets in sandstone are the result of the deposition of turbidity flows in the sea, carrying particles of rocks destroyed after earthquakes along submarine canyons.

Many rocks in sea ​​pebbles able to tell about the marine inhabitants that lived in our places millions of years ago. Such shell rock- in its structure, mollusks of the ancient ocean are easily visible. And here limestone And marl- also of organic origin, but we will not see the remains of marine organisms of the Jurassic period of the Cenozoic era with the naked eye. To detect them, you need a microscope, since these rocks were composed of settled microorganisms - plankton - mixed with chemical precipitation. Flattened limestones and marls are common stones on our pebbly beaches. No wonder the North-Western Caucasus is called the kingdom limestone And marls.

The era of dinosaurs and pterodactyls is also reminiscent of slate- soft sedimentary stone, consisting of petrified silt of Jurassic swamps. Getting into the sea, shale does not remain in a state of pebbles for long - harder brothers, driven by waves, quickly process it into sand. But on land it is easier to find it. Ours, Sochi slate often called roofing - the highlanders used this layered stone as a material for the roof of their dwellings.

Very interesting is the third group of rocks, which, after igneous and sedimentary ones, are included in the composition sea ​​pebbles are metamorphic or transformed rocks. Among them, there are often semiprecious stones, which, after jewelry processing, acquire an attractive brilliance and beauty. Nature-alchemist is able to transform one substance into another, changing their crystal structure. True, this process takes millions of years. During this time under high pressure and exposure to high temperatures limestone turns into marble, sandstone- V jasper etc. Pebbles with traces of metamorphism are not uncommon on our shore: half of the stone is typical gray sandstone, and the second half jaspermoid with a reddish tint.

Of course, using only this article, it is impossible to learn to distinguish between minerals and rocks, to determine the time of their appearance and the natural processes accompanying it. But read stones like an open book, anyone can learn. To do this, you need to work a little with special literature, reference guides. The task of our publication is to increase the interest of each reader in those treasures that are under our feet. A pearl in a broad sense is an outlandish, beautiful work of nature. There are a myriad of such pearls on our beaches.

At the end of this short review, I would like to talk about stones with holes, often through and rather large in diameter. As a rule, this is the work of a sea dweller, mollusc or folasa. Rotating with the help of a jet apparatus given to him by nature, processing the surface stone acid, this bivalve, mussel-like clam drills holes in soft rock, most commonly sandstone, and hides in them from predators. They say that a pebble with a through hole found on the beach brings happiness ...

I don't like pebble beaches, so I always opt for sandy beaches. Is our Black Sea has not only a large selection of hotels and attractions, but also a huge selection of beaches. Here anyone can find a beach to their taste. It remains only to find out where are the rocky beaches on the Black Sea, and where are the sandy ones.

Where are the rocky beaches on the Black Sea

Most famous resorts have pebble beaches. For example:

• Lazarevskoye;
• Kabardinka;
• Dzhubga;
• Resorts of Crimea;
• Resorts of Abkhazia.

I can't swim on pebble beaches, but many people choose them for several reasons. Advantages of pebble beaches:

• purity and transparency of water;
• stones and pebbles do not stick to the body like sand;
• better visibility underwater.

But pebble and rocky beaches have not only advantages. Minuses:

• sharp stones;
• risk of cutting your legs;
• stones and pebbles get very hot in the sun;
• the need to wear special slippers for swimming.

Not everyone wears special bathing shoes. For some, pebbles are the perfect foot massager. But I still remember how the wave dumped me right on the rocks. It ended badly. The legs were bruised and cut. And I'm not the only one who has experienced this.

Where are the sandy beaches on the Black Sea

On Black Sea you can easily find sandy shores. Most sandy beaches are located in Anapa. You can find a good sandy beach in Gelendzhik. It is small (about 500 meters long), but without pebbles. The sand also gets very hot in the middle of the day, but it's easier to run on it without shoes. Try to run barefoot on pebbles and rocks. Sandy beaches have their drawbacks. The disadvantages include the following:

• sand sticks to wet skin, especially to sunscreen;
• the water is not so clear, as the sand is constantly stirred up by people who swim in the sea;
• during the wind, the sand will fly into the eyes;
• algae grow on beaches where there is sand, not pebbles.

Sandy beaches are very good if you are traveling with a child. Children will be more comfortable swimming. Sand is safer for children. The child will not fall on the stones, so the risk of injury is greatly reduced. For the elderly, this is also a great beach.. On such beaches, the entrance to the water is smoother. If you are going to a sandy beach, then you do not need to take special swimming shoes with you.

There are a huge number of beaches on the Black Sea. And you can always choose the beach that will be the most convenient and acceptable for you.