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Binalud Mountains

geography Maturity 7-9 Next article →

The Binalud Mountains are a special range in northeastern Iran. They sit within the Razavi Khorasan Province. These mountains run in a northwest-southeast direction.

Iran-geographic map
Iran-geographic map

They are located to the southeast of the Caspian Sea. Two important cities sit near this range. The city of Mashhad is in the northeast. The city of Nishapur sits in the southwest.

Binalud mountains, Nishapur, taken in front of the tomb of the Fariduddin Attar Nishapuri's tomb
Binalud mountains, Nishapur, taken in front of the tomb of the Fariduddin Attar Nishapuri's tomb

These mountains formed through a huge movement of the Earth. Two giant pieces of land hit each other. These are called the Arabian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. This collision caused the mountains to rise up. This process happened during the Alpine orogeny. The range also takes up the motion of Central Iran. It moves on the Arabian plate every year. This slow movement shaped the land we see today.

Many different kinds of rocks make up the range. Most of the rocks are from the Triassic and Jurassic periods. The northwestern part has mostly Jurassic rocks. There are also some Paleozoic rocks in the west. A strip of Eocene rocks runs along the southern edge. On the northwest side of that strip, there are volcanic rocks. These rocks came from ancient volcanic activity. These layers tell a long story about the Earth's past.

One peak is very important to the region. It is called Mount Binalud. This mountain is located west of the main range. It reaches a height of 3,211 metres. This is the highest point in the whole province.

Binalud mountains, Nishapur, taken in front of the tomb of the Fariduddin Attar Nishapuri's tomb
Binalud mountains, Nishapur, taken in front of the tomb of the Fariduddin Attar Nishapuri's tomb

It stands tall above the surrounding land. The mountain is a major landmark for people living nearby.

The rocks in these mountains create something very beautiful. The volcanic rocks help make Nishabur turquoise. This is a famous blue stone. The main mines are near a village called Madan. These mines are about 50 kilometres northwest of Nishapur. People have traveled to this area for these special stones. The weathered rocks make the turquoise possible. It is a wonderful gift from the mountains.

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File:Iran-geographic map.svg
Iran-geographic map.svg
File:Binalud mountains, Nishapur, taken in front of the tomb of the Fariduddin Attar Nishapuri's tomb.jpg
Binalud mountains, Nishapur, taken in...
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