My GeoGallery

This fieldwork was carried out in the winter of 2018, shortly before I moved to Australia to begin my PhD. The aim was to log and sample the Early Cambrian Lalun Formation at its type section near the villages of Lalun and Zagun, nestled in the Alborz Mountains north of Tehran. The setting was as beautiful as it was unforgiving—biting cold, steep slopes, and thin air at elevation. I owe a great deal to Younes Zoleikhaei (my brother) and Rashid Zoleikhaei (my cousin), who accompanied me without hesitation and helped carry out the work under difficult conditions. We would spend hours documenting and collecting samples, only to face the next challenge at the end of each day: navigating our way down the treacherous slope with backpacks full of rock samples, long after the sun had dipped behind the ridges. 

Lunch break on a cold winter day in the snowy Alborz Mountains, northern Iran — a brief pause during a long day of fieldwork. 

Younes carrying a rock sample and sledgehammer as snow falls in thick fog in the Alborz Mountains, northern Iran. 

Younes and I carrying heavy backpacks loaded with rock samples down a steep slope on a cold, windy winter day in the Alborz Mountains of northern Iran. 

A distinctive cross-bedding structure in the arkose unit of the early Cambrian Lalun Formation, Alborz Mountains, northern Iran.

Collecting the final samples from the top of the section with Rashid. These last few meters on the north-facing side of the mountain were entirely covered in snow. 

Red mud-clasts within the pink sandstones of the arkose unit in the Lalun Formation. 

This fieldwork was part of my PhD project and took place in September and October 2019. This time, the dazzling summer sun of Central Iran struck us hard, adding to the already demanding task. My field companions were Younes and Mohammad Zoleikhaei (my cousin). The expedition lasted 24 days.

In the early days, up in the Alborz Mountains, we enjoyed surprisingly pleasant weather. But once we moved deeper into Central Iran, the real heat set in—despite it being the end of summer. The air was dry, the sun relentless, and water was always a concern. More than once in the Tabas region, we barely made it through the day with enough to drink.

I can’t find the words to fully express my gratitude to Younes and Mohammad, who gave everything they had—right to the last ounce of energy—to make this fieldwork possible. None of us will ever forget those 24 days. Many thanks also to Rashid, who later helped me in Tehran to pack up the samples and send them off to Australia.

Alborz 

Mohammad stands on the grey dolostones of the Ediacaran–early Cambrian Soltanieh Formation, deep in the heart of Central Alborz. 

Contact zone between the red shales of the early Cambrian Zagun Formation (right) and the pink sandstones of the Lalun Formation (left), Central Alborz. 

Alternating black heavy mineral-rich laminae and pink quartz- and feldspar-rich laminae in the arkose unit of the early Cambrian Lalun Formation. 

Younes and Mohammad standing on top of the unnamed arkosic sandstones between the early Cambrian Mila Formation and the Ordovician Lashkarak Formation, Central Alborz. 

Tabas, Central Iran

A tired, thirsty, and worn-out Mohammad sitting on the brown sandstones of the Ordovician Shirgesht Formation in the arid Derenjal Mountains, Tabas, Central Iran. 

Alternations of near-vertical layers of green shale and silty limestone in the Ordovician Shirgesht Formation, Derenjal Mountains, Tabas, Central Iran. 

Zarand, Central Iran

ounes and Mohammad walking on the yellow limestone and dolostones of the Ediacaran/Cambrian Desu Series, Zarand, Central Iran. Smiley faces were rare during those tough days in the desert—I’m making the most of it here. 

Mohammad and Younes collecting samples from the rare fine sandstone layers among the carbonates of the late Cambrian Kalshaneh/Kuh Banan Formation. 

Younes playing with the horns of a bezoar ibex he found among the green sandstones of the Devonian Padeha Formation. 

Gahkum mountain, Zagros

Younes and Mohammad resting in the shade while I examine the base of the Ordovician Seyahou Formation, Gahkum Mountain, Zagros. 

Alternation of pale yellow sandstones and dark green shales in the Ordovician Seyahou Formation, Gahkum Mountain, Zagros. 

Tired faces after an exhausting day. Some wear forced, bitter smiles; others can barely keep their eyes open. One even silently makes it clear—now’s definitely not the time for selfies. But thank you all—I will never forget what you did for me and for SCIENCE. 

Dena mountain, Zagros

Red arkosic sandstones of the early Cambrian Lalun Formation. 

Climbing mountains and breaking rocks all day long. Then, with a heavy backpack loaded with samples, you carry even more in your hands as you make your way down a cliff. But that’s not the end—you still have to climb another hill just to reach the car. The end of another exhausting day. In the background, the red sandstones and shales of the early Cambrian Lalun Formation are overlain by the grey carbonates of the Cambrian Mila Formation, topped by the Permo-Triassic Kangan and Dalan formations. 

This field trip was conducted as part of a project aimed at reconstructing the source-to-sink relationships and tectonic setting of the Mesoproterozoic to Cambrian succession exposed along the western coasts of Tasmania. The Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic units were located south of Strahan and inaccessible by land. To reach the sections, we had to fly over Macquarie Harbour by helicopter. My field companions on this trip were Prof. Mike Hall and Dr. James Driscoll from Monash University. We spent about two weeks in the field, and compared to my previous trips, this one was much easier.

Turbidites of the Mesoproterozoic Oonah Formation, southwestern Tasmania. 

Ready to hop into Rony’s helicopter for the flight to the study section, Strahan, Tasmania. 

Prof. Mike Hall trying to find the coarsest sandstone unit in the Mesoproterozoic Oonah Formation, hoping it contains zircon grains large enough for a laser spot. 

Aerial view of Ocean Beach, located west and south of Strahan. 

Mesoproterozoic quartzites that are thrusted over the underlying Neoproterozoic successions in the region. 

Close-up view of the quartzites. 

Modern conglomerates covering Neoproterozoic turbidites in southwestern Tasmania. 

Skeleton of a pilot whale washed up on the beach. 

Delicate folding in the Neoproterozoic siltstones and shales.