Hidden beauty of Zimbabwe's 2.5 billion-year-old 'geological marvel' revealed in striking astronaut photo — Earth from space

An unnamed astronaut on board the International Space Station snapped this striking photo of the southernmost section of the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe. Parts of the structure have been offset from one another by tectonic movements since it formed 2.5 billion years ago. A 2010 astronaut photo shows off the astonishing scale of the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe, which stretches over 340 miles (550 kilometers).

The lengthy structure, which is not actually a dike, is full of extremely valuable minerals that fuel a massive mining industry. A 2010 astronaut photo shows off the astonishing scale of the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe, which stretches over 340 miles (550 kilometers). The lengthy structure, which is not actually a dike, is full of extremely valuable minerals that fuel a massive mining industry.