Are they the remains of a hastily abandoned giant billiards game? Probably not, but the giant rock formations in Torysh Valley, Kazakhstan may remind you of this magical image. In fact, huge concrete blocks formed millions of years ago, these rocks are very unusual due to their impressive shape and size. There are natural explanations for their unique appearance, but other beliefs are also widespread.
In the Mangystau region of southwestern Kazakhstan amid mountains, valleys, deserts and tundra is a valley called Torysh filled with strange round rocks that look like giant eggs or billiard balls . They tell us something about the sedimentary environment of the time, as well as providing geological wonders.
Shadow Valley, Torysh Valley, Kazakhstan. (desert mirage)
The “balls” in question most likely date from the mid-Jurassic to early Cretaceous period (180-120 Ma). They can be made of silicate or carbonate cement. Most geologists who have examined them say they are giant concrete blocks, although fringe thinkers say the balls were created by aliens or ancient humans, has advanced technology.
Broken concrete, Ball Valley, Kazakhstan. ( aboutkazakhstan.com )
What is concreting?
Concretions are formed in porous sedimentary rocks such as sandstone or limestone when mineral-laden water flows through the porous spaces. When minerals reach saturation point, they precipitate out of solution and fill the pores. Concrete forms when these minerals precipitate into layers around a core such as rock, shell, or bone.
Due to their unusual shape, giant concrete blocks are often mistaken for fossil eggs, turtle shells or even man-made structures of extraterrestrial and sometimes terrestrial origin. This has led to the suggestion that these structures are artifacts of ancient advanced civilizations. Could these strange circular structures in Torysh be man-made or are they just a natural wonder?
Concreting in Torysh Valley, Kazakhstan. ( aboutkazakhstan.com )
Most concrete blocks are not very large, but it is possible to get giant concrete blocks. Other places where giant concrete blocks have been found outside of Ball Valley are parts of Siberia and the beaches and deserts of California. Two examples in the United States are Bowling Ball Beach and the Colorado Desert near Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
Bowling Balls Beach in Mendocino County, California, USA. (Brocken Inaglory/ CC BY SA 3.0 )
Rocks in the surrounding Torysh Valley area are mainly limestone and sandstone that were probably deposited in shallow marine environments, mainly during the Mesozoic. Sandstone and limestone are known to contain oil and natural gas. As a result, there are many rich oil fields in western Kazakhstan. Reservoir rock must be porous so that oil and natural gas can flow through the rock. Concretions require equal porosity, so it is not surprising that they appear in such rocks.
It was clear that the giant spherical concrete blocks came from the rock below. Although many of the “balls” are loose rocks, some of them are clearly embedded in the rock and are gradually being released from the base as the surrounding sedimentary rocks erode.
Concretions are found in other parts of the world
Similar concrete blocks were found in Siberia by coal miners while digging. Because the concrete block was large and difficult to drill, it was removed and piled up outside the mine so everyone could see it. Some people believe they are fossilized dinosaur eggs or artifacts of lost ancient civilizations, although Russian geologists confirm that they are concrete blocks.
Another example of giant concrete blocks are the large red concrete blocks found in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. These concretes are made from a mixture of silicate and carbonate cement. The red color comes from hematite, goethite and other iron-containing minerals. Along the shore of Lake Huron at Kettle Point in Ontario, Canada, there are giant calcite concrete blocks known as “kettles” because of their distinctive shape.
Concrete rocks in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, USA. (M. Ready/ CC BY SA 3.0 )
Huge concrete
It is not entirely clear how giant concrete blocks form compared to the more typical smaller concrete blocks, although it is known that they tend to form deep below ground. They also take longer to form because of their large size. They are not all round – some are botryoidal, rhombic or unusually shaped.
Since the Torysh Valley balls resemble concrete blocks found elsewhere in the world, it is likely that they were blocks concretized from silica or carbonate cement. No concrete evidence has been found to suggest they were created by humans or any kind of non-human intelligence, or that they are fossilized eggs for that matter.
Concreting in West Kazakhstan. (Alexandr Babkin/ CC BY SA 4.0 )
Mysteries like these are part of the scientific process. They are also what keeps science going, because if the world suddenly ran out of mysteries, scientists would be out of a job. For this reason, we should be grateful for such mysteries because they show that there is more and more to learn about nature. Some of our predictions may be wrong, but as we figure out which theories are wrong, we will also gain an increasingly accurate understanding of the world.
Egg-shaped concrete block in Balls Valley, Torysh Valley, Kazakhstan. ( aboutkazakhstan.com )
