The national monument «White Sands» (White Sands) in southern new Mexico is officially recognized by the national Park White Sands. Thus in the United States appeared 62nd national Park.
Legislation to rename «White Sands» was included in the Law on permits on national defence (National Defense Authorization Act) for fiscal year 2020.
The U.S. house of representatives passed a law on 11 December, 16 December, the law was passed in the Senate. President Donald trump signed the bill on December 20.
«White Sands», located in the Tularosa Basin (new Mexico), are one of the greatest natural wonders of the world. 275 square miles of desert make White Sands the world’s largest field of gypsum dunes, according to the national Park Service.
Gypsum is a widespread mineral from the class of sulfates in rocks worldwide, and it is extremely soft. It can easily break, and its «grain» reflect the light rather than passing it, which makes the Park a real «snowy» look.
Allowing the gypsum sand to form it. The national Park service notes that White Sands is a «moist environment» there is 100% humidity.
The dunes in this place began to form between 7,000 and 10,000 years ago when lake Otero began to dry up.
Some dunes reach 12-13 feet a year, and under them is a shallow layer of water, which, according to the researchers, acts like «glue», holding the dunes in place.
In the early twentieth century numerous commercial companies have tried to mine the gypsum in the dunes, but no project was successful due to the low market value of unprocessed gypsum sand.
However, these attempts forced the local residents to lobby for the protection of the dune fields. White Sands was designated a national monument in 1933, in the last days of President Herbert Hoover.
