In the quaint village called Mulbekh, being the first buddhistic village from the Kargil direction, there is possible to find an eroded hill where is a monumental statue of Buddha carved into. The hill is located in lower part of the village by the NH1 road. Near this structure flows the Wakha river. By the Buddha statue is a small Gompa (buddhistic temple). The Buddha sculpture is placed in gorgeous landscape of Himalaya that is synergized by the spiritual experience. The hill is situated near the significant tectonic line where flows the Indus river (Indus-Tsangpo tectonic line) and it is a part of the sedimentary formation surrounding an ophiolite complex that is a relict of the closed ocean called Neotethys. In the vicinity there occur pelitic sediments (siltstone, clay schists) metamorfed into phylite layers, and also cataclazed sandstone. This rocks enclose bodies of metabazites and tectonically deformed limestone with the different degree of dolomitization. As a result of this deformation the rocks are penetrated by several systems of calcite veins. In wider surroundings there is the above described sedimentary formation penetrated by the leucocrate Ladakh granite. In Mulbekh there is a new statue of Buddha under construction on the top of the neigbouring hill of the same rock as here.
Tasks
For accepting your log „Found it“ you have to carry out this tasks:
1) Which rock mentioned in the listing forms this erosive relict with carved sculpture of Buddha?
2) The rock body is partly covered by lichens and secondary iron hydrooxides, that blur its original colour. An observant geocacher who walk around the rock structure will surely determine the right colour of the rock. Please, write the original colour.
3) The hill is penetrated by felsic veinlets that are formed by one type of mineral. What mineral is it?
4) The veinlents form two conspicuous systems that show to complex tectonic development of the rock. Please, estimate the angle between mentioned two systems of veinlets (look at the hint).
5) You can take a photo of you in front of that Buddha sculpture and add it to your log (photo task is optional).
Please, send your answers through my profile or to my e-mail l.krmicek@gmail.com. You can log this cache as far as you send the answers. In case of doubts I will contact you. Logs without the anwers will be deleted, do not forget to sign the mail with you geocaching nickname.