Rare salt formations appear along the Great Salt Lake

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah | By LINDSAY WHITEHURST (AP) – Rare salt formations are being documented for the first time on the shores of the Great Salt Lake, and they could yield insights about salt structures found on Mars before they disappear for good.

They’re showing up now in part because water levels have been lowered by drought and water diversion, exposing more shoreline. That leaves more places where water can bubble up to the surface from warm, sulfate-rich springs.

A mineral called mirabilite separates out when the water hits the cold winter air, eventually forming into crystal spires and terraces.

The structures are expected to dissolve as the weather warms up.

More detailed information on the Mirabilite formations can be found here.