As the great tablelands of Guiana were uplifted 70 million years ago, huge veins of igneous intrusions penetrated the ancient sandstone fabric of the mountains and solidified as dykes and sills of pure quartz. Over millions of years, these intrusions have eroded and deposited gigantic drifts of quartz crystals on top of the plateaus.  One of the largest and most spectacular of all is located on Mount Roraima, where banks of sparkling white and pink quartz crystals carpet a narrow gorge in the north of the plateau known by local Amerindian tourist guides as the ‘Valley of the Crystals’. The quartz here is so plentiful that crystals form drifts that resemble shimmering white beaches amidst the otherwise blackened rocky landscape.

Years ago, huge bunches of large crystals could be found, looking like exotic flowers. Unfortunately, tourists have increasingly plundered the crystal deposits. Although Roraima is still carpeted with crystals, the largest crystal clusters from the Valley of the Crystals have disappeared. Helping protect Roraima’s incredible crystal formations is one of the conservation priorities the Lost World Project seeks to achieve, so that this spectacular natural wonder may be protected and enjoyed for all time.