Glacial Mill Relics

Glacial Mill Relics

A set of glacial mill relics, which reflect ancient glacial movements, has recently been discovered in the hinterland of Beishawo, 40 kilometers from Jimunai County.

The Beishawo area encompasses nearly 2,000 square kilometers of white desert, home to wild plants such as sea buckthorn, saxaul, calligonum, and silver poplar. In the heart of the desert, bluish granite mountain formations are strikingly visible, and their rugged ridges feature multiple glacial mills of varying sizes—some with diameters of several dozen centimeters, others no bigger than a fist. These mills are irregularly or regularly attached to the rock surfaces, forming a unique natural landscape.

Glacial mills are formations created by ancient glacial activity, dating back approximately 2 to 3 million years to the early Quaternary period. They earned their name due to their small openings and larger interiors, resembling stone mortars used for pounding grain. Glacial mills hold significant scientific research value for studying ancient climates, environments, and global warming. It is understood that glacial mill relics have been found in places such as China's Huangshan Mountain and Tibet, as well as in Germany and Poland, but they are typically located in glaciers, U-shaped valleys, and glacial beds. Their presence in a sandy desert region on such a scale is extremely rare.