2019

Blooming Stones in Latvian Forests

Observing the rich cover of berries and mushrooms, purple heather flower carpets in the forests, one cannot but think about autumn. But while enjoying the splendour and natural beauty of the heather flowers, many of us do not even suspect the special beauty and ‘flower' that is often to be found in the depths of the earth.

“These miraculous 'flowers' of the earth are manganese blossoms or dendrites. They are often formed on pebbles and boulders of carbonate rocks (limestone and dolomite), where various oxide compounds resulting from the oxidation of metals are deposited and precipitated from them. As shown by the origin of the word “dendrite” (from the Greek “dendron” - tree), dendritic crystals form when they are precipitated, just like trees and shrubs branch when they are growing,” says Artūrs Putniņš, LVM Zemes dzīles (LVM Subsoil) Planning Expert.  

Such “blooming” stones can be encountered on gravel roads, as well as in mineral aggregates in one of the mineral extracting sites managed by JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM). LVM Zemes dzīles currently manages more than 100 sand and sand-gravel deposits, and one of them bears the name “Virši” (Heather).

Mining sites have been carefully selected to ensure the availability of high-quality subterrain resources while avoiding environmental risks, thereby guaranteeing environmental sustainability and contributing to the development of the national economy.