|
|
Article: Minerals of the Andes: emeralds, golds, and silver from the sky. (Cover Story).(Cover Story)
- Article from:
- Rocks & Minerals
- Article date:
- January 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Heldref Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
The Andes are spectacular mountains that occupy the west coast of South America, stretching nearly 7,500 kilometers (4,700 miles) from Colombia in the north to Chile in the south. They contain peaks second in height only to the Himalayas; Chimborazo in Ecuador rises to 6,272 meters (20,577 feet), Huascaran in Peru is 6,768 meters (22,205 feet), Tocorpuri on the border of Chile and Bolivia is 6,873 meters (22,550 feet), and the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere, Aconcagua at 6,960 meters (22,835 feet), marks the boundary between Argentina and Chile. Incredibly deep valleys and impassable terrain break the towering peaks, which are often capped with glaciers. In ...