This picture shows something that is called desert pavement. When conditions are right, the ground has lots of little pebbles and as the wind and water transport away the smaller particles, only those pebbles of a certain size and larger remain. This type of covering can stretch for miles or only exist in small patches depending on the weather, the terrain and the soil conditions. The color comes from mineral dissolved in the water on the ground that slowly coats the pebbles with a combination of iron oxide, manganese and other minerals. If you pick up a rock it will be a much lighter color on the bottom than on the side exposed to the elements.
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