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The unique water chemistry at Echinus creates \"interesting\" formations and compositions near Echinus Geyser, such as the red color that rims the geyser pool -- from the iron, aluminum and arsenic -- and the silica-covered spiny rocks that give the geyser its name, the USGS said.

The geyser was named after mineralogist Albert Charles Peale visited the geyser in 1878 and thought the rocks surrounding it resembled sea urchins, a group of animals that also contain starfish, brittle stars and sand dollars.

It is located in Yellowstone's Norris Geyser Basin, which also includes Steamboat Geyser, the tallest active geyser in the world.

The eruptions likely won't continue long enough for the summer surge of visitors, the USGS said.

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