Where do kidney stones come from? Chemical composition and reasons for their formation. Treatment methods. Boulders-monuments of glacial history

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Where do boulders come from and what are they...

I have long wanted to write something about boulders, as I collected various information about them, photographed boulders in different countries, but could not connect everything together. Such an opportunity presented itself. Recently I managed to find out that in Minsk in Belarus there is a unique museum of boulders collected from all over Belarus and placed in a certain thematic composition.

This museum is located under open air on an area of ​​about 6.5 hectares and was created at the Institute of Geological Sciences of Belarus more than thirty years ago by Belarusian scientists-enthusiasts led by academician Gavriil Ivanovich Goretsky.

It was also possible to find out that Gabriel Ivanovich Goretsky(1900-1988) patriot, geologist, creator of the new science of paleopathamology, which studies the origin of the relief formed as a result of glacial deposits, put a lot of effort into making such a museum appear.

Under his leadership, starting in 1974, active scientific work was carried out to search for and study unique, distinctive or characteristic glacial boulders throughout the territory of Belarus.

Boulders, which are stones ranging in diameter from 10 cm to 3-5 meters or more, are found everywhere on the surface of the territory of Belarus. In some places they form piles in the form of boulder mounds, boulder fields, rocky ridges, and sometimes individual blocks of stone are hidden on the edges of forests, slopes of ravines, along roads and rivers and create the unique beauty of landscapes. The boulders are represented by a wide variety of rocks of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary origin.

All of them are foreigners who were brought from distant lands and brought them to the territory of Belarus huge glaciers, which have repeatedly covered the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth over its long geological life.

Stones can tell a lot about themselves: where they came from, how they got here, what paths they took, and what events happened to them. Therefore, boulders help scientists resolve controversial issues about the amount of icing, the location of the centers of origin of glacial flows, the directions and speeds of their movement, their stopping points, and the qualitative and quantitative composition of glacial sediment.

The Geological Directory of Belarus defines boulders and explains their location.

Boulders- large, rounded (rounded) rock fragments with a diameter of 10 cm or more, processed by a glacier during their transportation.

Ancient boulders, as a rule, are located on the surface of the earth, however, they are confined to terminal moraine formations, so they are also found at different depths. As agricultural land is cultivated, and also over time as a result of freezing of wet soil, boulders are squeezed out of the ground, which creates the impression of their constant growth, increasing their number on the surface.

In glacial areas, boulders are distributed regularly, fan-shaped from the centers of glaciation. As the transport capacity of the glacier decreases, more and more boulders remain on the surface of the earth.

Therefore, the birthplace of boulders on European territory is the bedrock of Sweden, Finland, the rocks of the seabed and the Baltic islands, as well as the bedrock of the northwestern regions of Russia.

Boulders transported over long distances are called erratic, or wandering. In Belarus, boulders of various shapes are widely represented in the central and northern regions (north of the border of ancient glaciations), most of them are scattered over the surface of terminal moraine uplands, and much less are found in intermoraine lowlands and in river valleys. There are boulders of impressive size. The largest of them (length 10.6 m, width 5.6 m, rises 2.8 m above the ground) is located near the village of Gorki, Shumilinsky district.

Boulders hinder farming. Their accumulations form littered fields, which reduces agricultural yields (harvest shortfalls can reach 15-20%), and hinder the effective use of equipment.

Boulders are used in the construction of foundations, religious buildings, paving roads, to obtain crushed stone, as filling material for dams, strengthening slopes, creating architectural compositions in parks, public gardens, along highways, etc.

Folk legends are associated with many boulders.

Due to the change natural landscapes influenced economic activity people: clearing fields of boulders, using them in construction, etc., there is a need to protect boulders and preserve them as objects of research, therefore the most original and rare ones are geological monuments nature and are protected by the state.

In the last decade, landscape and park art has begun to develop in the cities of Belarus. In different parts of open squares, streets, parks, along the banks of lakes and streams in cities, man-made compositions are created from boulder stones and ornamental plants. Such corners look very good and fit well into the modern architecture of Belarusian cities.

Urolithiasis always causes fear among the population. This is understandable, because if a stone blocks the urinary tract, the person will face serious suffering.

Firstly, it is a terribly unbearable pain, and secondly, in difficult situations, surgery is necessarily prescribed. But that’s not all, any delay threatens with serious consequences, even death. Where do people get kidney stones? We will try to answer this question in our dedicated editorial.

The presence of kidney stones in scientific medicine is called urolithiasis; there are also other names - urolithiasis and nephrolithiasis. Not everyone knows what stones are.

So, stones are hard, crystal-like formations formed due to a large accumulation of salts in urine. They are different in their mass, size, shape. In some cases, these are tiny stones that do not manifest themselves in any way in the body.

Human long time, and sometimes for the rest of your life, you may not even be aware of their presence. But in some situations, these are stones that reach sizes of up to 7 cm. The formation of stones can occur in various organs of the urinary system.

Attention. Stones with a diameter of 5 cm or more are considered dangerous to human life.

Stones form against the background of impaired metabolism.

1. . Contains uric acid salts.
2. . Contains calcium phosphate.
3. . Consist of oxalate lime.
4. Carbonates. Contains calcium carbonates.

Place of education:

• mucous epithelium;
• near a foreign body;
• in places where opportunistic bacteria accumulate.

Location:

• pelvis;
• calyxes;
• bladder;
• ureters.

The provoking factor for the formation of hard stones is an infection that has gotten inside the organs of the MVS.

Medical fact. In men, the formation of kidney stones is diagnosed many times more often than in women and children. The risk group consists of people aged 25 to 50 years.

To understand the nature of the origin of stones, you need to familiarize yourself with the mechanism of their formation. Thus, solid substances called kidney stones are known to medicine as soluble salts.

Salts exist in the body in two forms:

1. Soluble.
2. Crystalline.

If the concentration of soluble salts is high enough, they begin to transform into solid crystals. This process is called precipitation.

Experiment. For clarity, you can conduct an experiment. If you take regular salt (sodium chloride) and dissolve it in sea ​​water, and then put it in an open space and watch the liquid evaporate, then, in the end, we will see a crystalline precipitate. This is the salt itself. In the body it gathers into a homogeneous form and forms a stone.

Depending on the chemical composition, stones differ in appearance. Some of them have the correct smooth shape, and some are angular with irregular edges and multiple pointed edges.

Function of inhibitors

Urine is made up of many different chemicals that, when collected in groups, can form the same salt. But we note that urine contains elements such as inhibitors. They are the ones who suppress enzymatic processes and interfere with the mechanism of salt precipitation.

Inhibitors penetrate into our body and then into urine along with food. These are, for example, citrates and magnesium. And some types of inhibitors are synthesized by our body as proteins. These are, for example, uropontin and nephrocalcin.

The main task of these elements:

• suppress the mechanism of salt crystallization;
• increase the solubility of salts;
• prevent the adhesion (sticking) of salts to the epithelial layer of the kidneys.

The mechanism of stone formation begins with a significant outweighing of provocative factors over the function of inhibitors.

Risk factors

There are several factors that contribute to the formation of stones.

This:

• age;
• gender characteristic;
• geographical factor;
• heredity;
• Lifestyle;
• stressful situations.

Age and gender

Men suffer from urolithiasis more often than women, and there is an explanation for this. First of all, these are eating habits; the stronger sex, as a rule, includes meat rich in protein in its diet.

Alcohol, which men also drink more often than women, contributes to the formation of urates. But the most basic symptom is the presence of androgen hormones in the male body.

The formation of stones is favored by hormones such as:

• dehydroepiandrosterone;
• androstenedione;
• testosterone.

The risk of developing stones increases at age 40. According to medical observations, the growth of stones begins at the age of 40 and continues until the age of 70. As a rule, at this age, 11% of men have kidney stones.

Fact. As practice shows, in frequent cases stones form in the right kidney, and only in 15% of all cases the presence of stones in both kidneys is diagnosed.

Why is the risk of nephrolithiasis lower in women than in men?

This is facilitated by the predominance of estrogen hormones in the female body. They suppress the mechanism of oxalate stone formation, while maintaining the alkaline pH of urine, and also increase the concentration of citrates, which inhibit the stone formation process.

In children, nephrolithiasis can develop due to deformation of the structure of the ureters and genetic factors.

Weight

Excess weight is a sign of poor nutrition. Therefore, people who are overweight are at high risk of developing stones.

Adipose tissue and insulin resistance are thought to contribute to this. The body of obese people produces large quantity uric acid and calcium, and this is known to be a direct path to the formation of stones.

Genetic factor

It is believed that urolithiasis is inherited. If one of the parents has a history of this pathology, then the likelihood of its occurrence in the child increases. This is due to the insufficiency of the enzymatic mechanism.

Geographical factor

Each area has its own characteristics of the chemical composition of water and plant products. An increased concentration of minerals can both strengthen the body's defenses and lead to an increase in salt content in the urine.

Lifestyle

A quality lifestyle means proper nutrition and the elimination of all bad habits. Many foods contribute to the formation of stones, especially in people with a predisposition to this phenomenon. To reduce the likelihood of urolithiasis, you should avoid eating animal protein and foods that contain large amounts of oxalates and salt.

Alcohol and smoking reduce the body's protective function, which exposes it to the risk of stone formation.

Stressful situations

Constantly being under stress leads to numerous health problems, and this has already been scientifically proven. Such a pathology as nephrolithiasis is no exception.

The stress hormone (vasopressin) provokes changes in the functioning of the kidneys, reduces the amount of urine excreted, and as a result its concentration increases, which greatly increases the likelihood of crystalline sedimentation.

Clinical manifestations

With the formation of urolithiasis, disruptions in the functioning of the paired organ occur, and, as a result, an inflammatory process of the ureters, bladder and urethra develops. If there is one solid element and it is not moving, the patient will not feel acute attacks of pain. But as soon as it begins to move, intense pain is felt, sometimes so unbearable that the patient is ready to scream.

There are several characteristic signs that distinguish urolithiasis:

• sharp, sharp pain in the lumbar region (can be localized on one or both sides of the lower back);
• pain in the lower abdomen;
• hypertension;
• nausea, which may be accompanied by vomiting;
• aching, nagging pain in the kidney area, which radiates to neighboring organs of the MVS;
• burning and stinging during bowel movements;
• increased body temperature;
• frequent urge to micturate, sometimes there is a reverse reaction, too infrequent urge;
• bloating, colic;
• cold sweat.

Which in frequent cases accompanies urolithiasis, is the main and most unpleasant symptom. With such sensations, the patient cannot find a certain position to feel relief.

Colic is accompanied by sharp, cramping pain. All this indicates that sand or stones are coming out along with the urine.

The duration of painful sensations can reach several days. Characteristic symptoms may occur in a patient once a year, and sometimes appear many times in a short period of time.

When the intensity of colic subsides, the patient may observe sand or stone in the urine. When stones pass, the integrity of the inner layer of the wall of the ureters and urethra is destroyed, hence the appearance of blood in the urine.

The visual presence of blood in the urine is called gross hematuria. If blood particles are detected only by laboratory methods, then this phenomenon is called microhematuria.

Medical fact. In 90% of all cases of urolithiasis, the patient can see with the naked eye the presence of blood in the urine.

Renal colic

Renal colic is a typical manifestation of urolithiasis; it is an attack of cutting and stabbing pain of severe intensity in the lumbar region.

Painful sensations can radiate to:

• in the groin;
• to the genitals;
• into the inner thigh.

The location of renal colic depends on the location of the stone; the higher its location, the higher the pain will be felt.

Attention. Blockage of the urinary tract by a stone develops acute retention and stagnation of urine. This condition is dangerous to human life.

Renal colic is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• nausea turning into vomiting;
• bloating;
• colic in the intestines associated with the inability to pass gas.

The patient is in a state of anxiety, constantly looking for a comfortable position, and groans.

Risk of relapse

As practice proves, urolithiasis is dangerous when it reappears.

Table No. 1. Statistical indicators of recurrence of urolithiasis:

The reappearance of urolithiasis can be contributed to by various factors and causes described above.

Attention. There are situations where a person has had a kidney stone for many years, but he doesn’t even know about it. However, when exposed to any of the negative factors, the disease begins to progress and make itself felt with the characteristic signs discussed above.

Causes of stone formation

Those most at risk of developing kidney stones are people living in dry and hot areas. As a result of dehydration, urine concentration increases, which leads to crystalluria.

In addition, causative factors are:

• insufficient fluid intake;
• unbalanced diet;
• peculiarities drinking water(in some regions there is increased water hardness);
• deficiency or, conversely, excess of vitamin D and calcium in the body;
• uncontrolled use of medications;
• concomitant urological pathologies;
• prolonged immobilization;
• limited physical activity;
• abuse of bad habits (alcohol, smoking, drug addiction);
• dysfunction of the parathyroid glands.

Important. In regions where there is high water hardness, it is very important for people to use purification methods.

Sufficient fluid intake by the body helps to thin the blood and urine, along with which various toxic and harmful elements will be eliminated, forming crystals in the urinary canals.

There are certain statistics on the volume of urine output depending on the volume of fluid intake. The norm is considered to be the output of the same amount of urine that was consumed by a person per day.

Important. The optimal volume of fluid per day is from 1.5 to 3 liters.

Excessive consumption of alcohol-containing drinks and taking diuretics negatively affects the body. As is known, alcohol causes dehydration, which is also typical for many medications, in particular diuretics.

This phenomenon leads to an increase in urine concentration and the formation of stones. It is very important to follow the instructions of the attending physician; instructions for taking medications are developed by him taking into account individual characteristics and predisposition to stone formation.

Classification and chemical composition of stones

As we noted earlier, stones can form not only in the kidneys, but also in other parts and organs of the genitourinary system, for example, in the ureters and bladder. In medicine, stones are distinguished by their chemical composition, size and location.

Classification of stones by chemical composition

The types of stones depend on the cause of their formation, the most common in medical practice are:

• carbonate;
• fofatnye;
• urate;
• oxalate;
• protein;
• cholesterol;
• calcium oxalate.

Table No. 2. Composition of stones formed in the urinary system.

Attention. There are types of stones that have a mixed chemical composition. This category of stones is considered the most complex; their treatment is quite long and difficult.

Classification of kidney stones by size

Stones formed in the kidneys vary in their structure and size.

Depending on the size of the stones, the following types are distinguished:

1. Microliths. Their size is no more than 1 cm.
2. Macrolites. The size of the stones reaches 10 mm or more.
3. Coraloides. These are the most dangerous species, the size of which is more than 15 cm.

Conservative methods depend on the chemical composition and size of the stones. As for microliths, in this case there are methods that allow you to crush stone-like formations at home.

For this, various traditional medicine recipes are used. There are many plants that can break down bud solids.

If we talk about macrolites, then it is categorically not recommended to crush them using traditional methods. In such situations, the patient requires the help of a qualified specialist. But this does not always mean that the patient is awaiting surgery. The doctor develops a conservative therapy tactic that allows the stones to be converted into sand, and then removed from the body with the help of diuretics.

As for coral stones, only categorical measures are used here, that is, stones can only be removed surgically. In these situations, it is important to contact the clinic in a timely manner for help, because formations of such size can be fatal.

When choosing a treatment method, not only the chemical composition and size of solid formations are taken into account; many factors influence the tactics of further drug therapy. Therefore, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting, following all the doctor’s recommendations and prescriptions.

Diagnostics

Nephrolithiasis can be suspected already from the first manifestations of the disease. But for accurate diagnosis, appropriate measures must be prescribed.

Table No. 3. Methods for diagnosing urolithiasis:

If hard stones in the kidneys are easy to identify using any type of diagnosis, then the presence of stones of a soft structure can be determined by the accompanying symptoms.

In addition to diagnostic measures, additional studies are prescribed to a patient with characteristic complaints:

1. Multislice CT. This method gives an idea of ​​the type and size of stones formed.
2. Nephroscintigraphy. Allows you to determine the level of dysfunction of the paired organ.
3. Urine test for sensitivity to antibiotics. This analysis makes it possible to identify the presence of an inflammatory process in the urinary tract and determine its severity.

Before prescribing diagnostic measures, the doctor collects an anamnesis, interviews the patient, and first establishes the cause of stone formation. Based on the initial examination of the patient, drug therapy is developed, which, after receiving the examination results, is adjusted in order to ensure the effectiveness of further treatment.

Methods for determining the composition of stones

There are two methods for determining the composition of stones:

1. Straight.
2. Indirect.

In the first case, the composition of the stones is determined by the results of a urine test. If high salt levels predominate, this may indicate that the kidneys contain salt stones.

If there is a high content of red blood cells, proteins, bacteria and leukocytes in the urine, this means the presence of protein stones. When mixed types of stones form in the urine, the concentration of salts and protein elements will be detected.

The second method for determining the chemical composition of stones is to analyze the diet. When a patient consumes a large amount of vegetables, dairy products and meat, while drinking a small amount of liquid, salt stones form.

And if you conduct a thorough analysis of food consumption, you can establish the exact composition of solid elements:

1. Lovers meat dishes prone to the formation of urates.
2. With large consumption of vegetables, fruits, coffee and chocolate, oxalates are formed.
3. Consumption of dairy products contributes to the appearance of phosphates.

This pattern depends on the fact that all food products entering the body are converted into a number of elements, among which acids such as uric, phosphoric and oxalic predominate. If there is an excess of these substances, the water-salt balance in the body fails, which leads to the appearance of solid elements in the kidneys.

Treatment

Nephrolithiasis is treated in two ways:

1. Conservative.
2. Surgical.

A conservative treatment method is possible not only in a hospital setting, but also at home, however, if the stones formed do not pose a serious threat to health.

Conservative treatment method

The method of crushing and removing stones depends on many factors:

• anatomical structure of the genitourinary system;
• age;
• body weight;
• size of solid formations;
• shapes and structures of stones.

Conservative treatment methods include:

• physiotherapy;
• traditional medicine recipes;
• maintaining an appropriate diet and diet;
• restoration of water-salt metabolism;
• physical therapy.

Along with the above methods, drug therapy is necessarily developed to help eliminate symptoms and reduce the inflammation process.

As drug therapy, the doctor prescribes to the patient:

• antibacterial drugs;
• diuretics;
• symptomatic;
• stone-removing drugs.

Attention. Treatment of urolithiasis must be carried out under the supervision of the attending physician. As complications develop, a more effective regimen is developed.

In the case when a conservative technique does not give positive results, the need to use more global procedures is determined - these are operations. Modern medicine has reached the threshold where science has developed a lot of options for removing kidney stones, which we will talk about below.

Surgical methods

There are two types of surgery:

1. Open surgery. The patient is put into a sleepy state and an autopsy is performed at the site of the kidney. The kidney where the stones are present is cut and a pebble or pebbles are mechanically removed.
2. Endourethral technique. A puncture is made in the affected organ, where an endoscope is inserted. After reaching the target, the stones are destroyed using ultrasound or laser.

Before any operation, the patient must undergo a course of preparatory therapy.

Table No. 4. Surgical methods for removing kidney stones.

If there are a large number of stones or if they are significant in size, only surgery is indicated.

Diet for urolithiasis

As with any diseases of the kidneys and other organs of the urinary system, the patient is prescribed a certain diet. In our case, the further growth of solid elements depends on the quality of nutrition.

So, if a patient is diagnosed with oxalates, products containing oxalic acid are strictly contraindicated for him.

This:

• tomatoes;
• sorrel;
• any berries;
• chicory;
• spinach;
• cocoa;
• cranberry;
• chocolate;
• citrus;
• fish.

If urate has been diagnosed, the following should be excluded from the diet:

• meat and meat products;
• fish;
• various types of cheeses.

When phosphates form, the following are excluded from the diet:

• vegetables;
• fruits;
• peanut;
• almond;
• milk and milk-containing products.

Traditional medicine

Traditional medicine is quite widely used in the treatment of urolithiasis. Traditional recipes are effectively used in conjunction with drug therapy. In addition, there are many medications created on the basis of medicinal plants that help crush and remove kidney stones.

Table No. 5. The most effective and widely used folk recipes in the fight against nephrolithiasis.

Another effective medicine is an infusion of corn silk. They should be brewed like tea and taken 2-3 times a day before meals.

Important. All remedies against nephrolithiasis used at home must be discussed with the attending physician. Many of them provoke sudden movements of stones, which can be life-threatening.

To summarize, it can be noted that preventing the formation of kidney stones is easier than then carrying out complex and sometimes dangerous treatment. Proper nutrition, a healthy lifestyle and sufficient consumption of purified water reduce the risk of severe pathology such as nephrolithiasis by tens of times. In the video presented in this article, experts will talk about the possible consequences of urolithiasis.

In the section on the question Where do stones come from?? given by the author Calculate the best answer is Some kind of undeveloped question!! ! What stones?
1. If we're talking about about natural stones - it all depends on the type of stones. Some stones were formed from liquid lava, some were obtained by compaction in the strata of geological deposits, such as granite or sandstone... some are formed by crystallization.
2. If we are talking about stones formed in our body (in the kidneys, in the gall bladder...) then this is a completely different conversation! These stones are formed by crystallization. In a person prone to the formation of stones in bile or urine, high concentrations of various salts (urates, oxalates...) are observed, and as soon as a center of crystallization appears (it can be some kind of microbial body, or a piece of epithelium, or some other grain of sand), the surrounding salts immediately begin to settle. Most of growing grains of sand are washed out of the bile (urine) excretory tract, without having time to grow to a decent size. But some manage to get stuck in the bladder (gall or urinary) or in the renal ducts, pelvis, and grow. This is how stones form in the kidneys and bile ducts.
3. If your question is about stones in the garden, ask your neighbor. Most likely he gave them to you!!
Source: Read about the time to scatter and gather stones in Ecclesiastes
Vladislav Yun
Guru
(4005)
Yeah, that's what you're talking about!! Well, I can’t say anything other than general phrases here. In my opinion it happens like this:
1. Rocks are destroyed, and blocks are carried down into the valleys with mudflows. In the valleys, under the influence of temperature, humidity, etc., blocks are destroyed into smaller fragments. This is how stones appear in mountainous areas.
2. Further collapsing into smaller fragments, they turn into sand and clay, which are very easily transported by water even deeper into the lowlands, where they settle. The lower layers are compressed, again forming solid rocks, which again, as a result of tectonic shifts, one day end up on the surface. Or they are carried to the surface by all the river waters by washing away!! And again the process repeats. Again the blocks break up into cobblestones, pebbles, sand... all in a circle.
3. A man transports crushed stone and spills it on the ground
4. Animals can carry
5. Rains wash away the soil, exposing previously deposited stones. There are no more free symbols!!

A museum that, in terms of the number of exhibits collected, is significantly ahead of any museum in the world. In it, without any permission, you can touch the exhibits with your hands, take pictures with them and even... trample these exhibits with your feet. If you want to take away some rarity that you particularly like from the museum with you, no one will say a word of reproach to you: those around you look at you with sympathetic, approving glances.

The reader, of course, guessed that we were talking about our Sochi pebble beach– unique in its content and invariably arousing great interest among resort visitors. This, of course, is a natural historical and geological museum, in which each pebble exhibit is calibrated to the required size, smoothly turned and polished by sea waves, and washed clean before being shown to the general public.

History of appearance sea ​​pebbles on our beach is interesting in itself. For centuries, numerous mountain rivers and rivulets eroded the layers and thicknesses of the Caucasus Mountains, carrying into the Black Sea, either with a calm fast current or a seething thunderstorm stream, a mass of rocky debris, boulders, and slabs of various shapes. The sea, accepting all this material already in a partially crushed form, continued to crush and sort by size, roll in and polish the “works” of the mountains that fell into its waves. Geologists call these works rocks, and the history of their appearance, dating back many millions of years, is the most ancient and mysterious history of our land, the history of our region, captured so vividly in the exhibit pebbles of the Sochi beach.

Seventy million years ago they grew, formed Caucasus Mountains. Their growth was accompanied by a roar and roar, fiery rivers of erupted lava. Most of the Caucasian peaks of the Central Range are extinct volcanoes. And the pebbles brought to the beach very eloquently tell about the volcanism that raged here. Here pumice– a porous hygienic pebble is frozen volcanic magma, erupted far away, picked up air and is therefore very light. Here are the “frozen” at the exit of the volcano tuffs And basalts– they are heavier than pumice, but much lighter than granite. Granite on the beach - these are the eroded roots of the mountains, the magma that solidified inside the volcano.

Heavy granite– pebble stones, usually white, egg-shaped, are the most famous representative of volcanic rocks. Thanks to the shine of the minerals evenly mixed in it (and we all know from school that these are quartz, mica and feldspar), due to its hardness and strength, it has become the stone of monuments, obelisks and monuments. However, once on a pebble beach, the granite pebbles have lost their monumental perspective, and all its beauty is aimed at creating a good mood for people relaxing by the sea.

Other igneous rocks found under our feet are: tuffs different shades, basalts– also a widely used facing and construction material. Among the outpouring rocks there are also semi-precious, decorative stones - porphyrites, syenites, peridots. To these can be added numerous quartzites– transparent and translucent stones, as well as durable flint-chalcedony, the healing properties of which have become popular among well-known healers in our time. These minerals, which are not related to rocks, and therefore more ancient in origin, also came to our beaches from volcanic vents.

Long before the Caucasus Mountains grew, the territory of the entire Sochi and Krasnodar region was the seabed. In no case should one be surprised by this, because long before man appeared on earth, the entire territory of the present day was the seabed. Russian Federation. In our places, the land repeatedly rose above the sea, islands appeared and were covered with tropical vegetation. It has long been proven that dinosaurs and other ancient land animals lived in our area. Then all this was again absorbed by the depths of the sea, and on the seabed there was a continuous process of accumulation of sedimentary rocks. When the mountains rose, the layers at the bottom of the sea began to move. They also became mountains, lateral Caucasian ridges, and the rocks accumulated in them also began to be destroyed by rivers and roll into the sea.

The predominant sedimentary rock in the composition sea ​​pebbles- This sandstone. There are gray, tobacco-colored, brown, yellow sandstone pebbles, depending on the composition of the sand that settled on the bottom of the sea. Sandstone is often cut with white veins running into different directions. This - hieroglyphs. According to the theory of the Dutch scientist F. Kuhnen, calcite and other veins in sandstone are the result of the deposition of turbidity currents in the sea, carrying particles of rocks destroyed after earthquakes through underwater canyons.

Many rocks in the composition sea ​​pebbles are able to tell about the marine inhabitants that lived in our area millions of years ago. That's how it is shell rock– the mollusks of the ancient ocean are easily visible in its structure. And here limestone And marl- also of organic origin, but we cannot see the remains of marine organisms of the Jurassic period of the Cenozoic era with the naked eye. To detect them, you need a microscope, since these rocks were composed of settled microorganisms - plankton - mixed with chemical precipitation. Flaky limestones and marls are common stones on our pebble beaches. No wonder the Northwestern Caucasus is called the kingdom limestones And marls.

Reminiscent of the era of dinosaurs and pterodactyls slate– a soft sedimentary stone consisting of fossilized mud from Jurassic swamps. Once in the sea, shale does not remain in the pebble state for long - its harder counterparts, driven by waves, quickly transform it into sand. But on land it is easier to find it. Ours, Sochi slate often called roofing - the mountaineers used this layered stone as a material for the roofing of their homes.

The third group of rocks, which follow the igneous and sedimentary ones, is very interesting. sea ​​pebbles- These are metamorphic or transformed rocks. Among them there are often semiprecious stones, which after jewelry processing acquire an attractive shine and beauty. Nature-alchemist is capable of transforming some substances into others, changing their crystal structure. True, this process takes millions of years. During this time, under high pressure and exposure high temperatures limestone turns into marble, sandstone- V jasper etc. Pebbles with traces of metamorphism are not uncommon on our shore: half a stone is typical gray sandstone, and the second half - jasperoid with a reddish tint.

Of course, using only this article, it is impossible to learn to distinguish between minerals and rocks, determine the time of their appearance and the natural processes accompanying it. But read stones, like an open book, everyone can learn. To do this, you need to work a little with special literature and reference guides. The goal of our publication is to increase the interest of every reader in the treasures that are under our feet. A pearl in the broadest sense is an outlandish, beautiful work of nature. There are countless such pearls on our beaches.

To conclude this brief review, I would like to talk about stones with holes, often through and quite large in diameter. As a rule, this is the work of a sea creature, stone mollusk or folas. Rotating with the help of the jet apparatus given to it by nature, processing the surface stone acid, this bivalve, mussel-like mollusk drills holes in soft rocks, most often in sandstone, and hides in them from predators. They say that finding a pebble with a hole in it on the beach brings good luck...

Excellent rocky beaches with small pebbles, pleasant for the feet, can be found in almost all resorts of Sochi: Lazarevskoye, Adler, Khosta, Central. The entrance to the water on these beaches varies, but in the most popular places for recreation, as a rule, there are no large stones with sharp edges that can injure your feet.

Some of the resorts belonging to Gelendzhik are also known for their rocky beaches. Thus, pebble beaches predominate in the villages of Arkhipo-Osipovka and Divnomorskoye. The beaches on Tonky Mys, in the Blue Wave sanatorium, and the Chernomorets and Caucasus boarding houses are also strewn with pebbles and a small amount of sand. The quiet village of Dzhanhot, located near Gelendzhik, also boasts a fairly clean rocky beach.

In the Tuapse region, pebble lovers are better off in the villages of Novomikhailovsky or Dzhubga. In Lermontovo, the beaches are strewn with pebbles mixed with sand, and in Olginka - with small washed pebbles.

You can find rocky beaches near Anapa. For example, the beaches “Vysokiy Bereg” and “Malaya Bukhta” are strewn with stones and large pebbles. In some places, entering the sea is quite dangerous, especially in wild areas.

Those who like to relax more on pebble beaches can also go to Black Sea coast to Abkhazia.

Sandy beaches on the Black Sea

A good sandy beach is located in the city of Gelendzhik. Its length reaches 500 meters and width 30 meters. There are canopies, changing rooms and showers, and a variety of beach equipment is rented. The entrance to the sea on the central beach of Gelendzhik is without sharp holes, but the depth increases quite quickly.

Many sandy beaches are located in Anapa and nearby. Dzhemete Beach, running along Pionersky Prospekt, is strewn with fine, pleasant sand and has a smooth entrance to the sea, so it is a good place for elderly people or families to relax there.

The only negative is that during the peak season there are a lot of people, and the sea in the coastal area at the end of summer often looks untidy due to the large number of people.

An excellent sandy beach is also located on site children's camp"Eaglet" in the Tuapse region and adjacent campsites. There is no promenade or much entertainment, but the sea is often very clean even in high season. When entering the water, the depth increases very slowly.

In Ukraine also, most beaches are sandy. For lovers of fine sand, it is best to relax in Yalta, Evpatoria, Feodosia or Sevastopol.

Sandy beaches are most loved by vacationers, in comparison with pebble or other types. Exactly sandy beaches ideal for families with children and for those learning to swim. A clean bottom and soft sand - what else is needed for have a wonderful holiday by the water? Russia has many excellent fine sandy beaches.

Beaches of the Black Sea

Crimea is so loved by many vacationers precisely for its excellent sandy beaches. Clean water and a bottom without sharp stones are another reason why your holiday in Crimea will be very comfortable.

The beaches of Donuzlav are considered the best. Sand protects coastline from all kinds of damage, such as erosion and faults, therefore the integrity of these beaches is protected by law: it is prohibited to take sand from there for any purpose. The beaches of Donuzlav start from the village of Mirny and stretch towards Evpatoria on one side, and on the other to the Baikal Spit. Settlements that are located on the gentle beaches of Donuzlav: Chernomorskoye, Olenevka, Zaozernoye, Popovka, Novo-Fedorovka, Shtormovoye, Mezhvodnoye, and Cape Tarkhankut is also located on this territory. The beaches of Kalamitsky Bay are considered the best for families with children, as the water warms up quickly and they are quite shallow.

If you prefer beach holiday with a tent, then go to the villages of Olenevka or Mezhvodnoye. But remember that these are places for those who prefer green tourism. People keep the places where they set up camp clean.

Sandy beaches in Krasnodar region located in the area settlement Anapa. The sand is so very beautiful, golden and fine, and also very clean. The beaches in Dzhemete are also excellent option for families with children, since the bottom there is quite flat. The word “dzhemete” itself means “golden sands”.

Caspian, Azov and Baltic seas

The Sea of ​​Azov is very shallow, and its entire coastline is sandy. This sea is also very warm.

The Caspian Sea is also famous for its sandy beaches. The best sandy beaches are located in the Volga delta, where Astrakhan stands. There are often thermal springs near the beaches.

Very beautiful beach located on the Baltic Sea - it is Curonian Spit in Kaliningrad. The beach is very wide and the sand is fine and light. Surrounded by this splendor pine forests. But the swimming season here does not last long.

Lake beaches

Sandy beaches are also typical for lakes, where some people prefer relaxation to the sea. The most famous lake in Russia is Baikal. The most beautiful Baikal dunes, extended wide beaches, clean water... The only negative is that the water in Baikal is quite cold, the lake does not warm up for a pleasant swim every year.

Lake Onega Karelia has very beautiful sandy beaches. They are small, but occur all the time.

Seliger - this place has become very popular, as tourist area. There are many beaches around the lake. There are both budget and luxury accommodation options.

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