AUSTRALITES FROM GINDALBIE AND MENANGINA PASTORAL STATIONS, WESTERN AUTRALIA

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 1 decade ago

Abstract - The Tonkin australite collection from Gindalbie and Menangma Pastoral Stations, Western Australia differs from other samples collected in the Eastern Goldfields region. Most differences can be ascribed to a small content (several percent) of australites from a small area where they had been protected from weathering and erosion during much of their terrestrial residence by shallow burial. Australites from that area (The Patch) are largely forms which consist partly or wholly of secondary glass (56.6%), lens-forms (33.3%) and cores (6.1%) The cores/lens-fonns ratio is only 0.18. This material provides an insight into the likely constitution of the australite population immediately after arrival on the earth's surface.