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Good I chanced upon this video and subscribed to your channel. For lay persons like us is there some way to understand this a little better? I am sure each of the lines you discussed on specific minerals and processes, is worth long hours of classes, but is there some place where we can read this and understand it? I am sure it will not be easy, given that so many young people work hard and study to become geologists, so just reading something may not help. But if there's some place online, where we could read and understand at least some of this, please do let us know. Thank you.
Thank you so much for subscribing and for your thoughtful comment! I truly appreciate your curiosity about geology-it’s always great to see people wanting to learn more. You’re absolutely right that many of these topics could take hours to fully explore, but there are some great online resources that can help laypersons get a solid understanding. I’d recommend starting with sites like the Geological Society of America (GSA) or Geology.com, which offer beginner-friendly explanations of minerals, rocks, and geological processes. If you’re interested in more visual and accessible learning, UA-cam channels like 'PBS Eons' or 'SciShow Earth' also have fantastic content for non-specialists. For a more in-depth dive, you might enjoy reading a book like The Story of Earth by Robert M. Hazen-it’s written for a general audience but dives into geology in an engaging way. If there’s a specific topic from the video you’d like me to explain further, feel free to ask-I’d be happy to help
I once carved an access road to the top of Mt Shannon & Arrowsmith years ago for Telecom , the rocks were so sharp if you spun your wheels on the old grader it would cut your tyres to shreds , we spent a lot of time fixing tyres, they say that the Aboriginals used to trade the stone & samples were found across most of NSW
Wow, what an incredible story! It’s fascinating to hear about your experience working on Mount Shannon and Arrowsmith-those sharp rocks sound intense! It’s amazing to think that the same rugged terrain you were working in was significant to Aboriginal peoples for trade. The idea that stone from this region was traded across most of NSW shows how important these materials were in their culture and daily life. Thanks for sharing this-it adds such a rich historical perspective to the geology of the area!
These sharp stones remind me of obesidion in the volcanic region of Oregon state in the united states . Stones from there have been found in Mexico and the east coast of the us . All over the Americas
I have many pieces of nunderite in my collection. I had been told it had been found when digging a pond on Nunder Station & although ppl had dug for more in the region none was discovered. The rock hounds of the area (over 120 years ago) had it in their back sheds. My friend after he retired bought himself a helicopter & started visiting houses in the area who were part of a group who worked the nunderite they found into spheres etc. They even used the scraps from this process & resin pours to make the scraps into skulls, & this was when the use of resin was in its infancy after WW2. I have got 2 skulls from this process as well. I carry a small sphere of nunderite where ever I go. Back in the day you could find nunderite on healing crystals an American website but I have not seen any in decades. I loved watching this video & I thank you very much for the information you imparted (as in all your videos) about one of my favourite crystals. If it wasn't for the late old timers in that lapidary club & my friend with his retirement helicopter I would not have as much in my collection. Again many thanks. You should see the meteorite I found in the hills of Perth. ❤ ❤❤ love your channel.
What an incredible collection you must have! It’s amazing to hear about the history of Nundorite in your region, and the story of how it was worked into spheres and even skulls is fascinating. The use of resin in the lapidary process after WW2 adds such a unique historical angle. It’s great that your friend’s efforts with the helicopter helped preserve that connection to the local rockhounding community, and I love that you carry a small sphere with you. The story about Nundorite showing up on American crystal websites is really interesting too-it's crazy how these things can disappear from circulation over time. Thanks for sharing such a personal and enriching story about your passion for Nundorite and lapidary. I’m glad you enjoyed the video and appreciate the kind words! Also, your meteorite find in Perth sounds like another amazing discovery! I’d love to hear more about that sometime. Thanks again for your support and for being part of this community!
@OzGeologyOfficial you are so very welcome, my friend, if I may call you that. I first discovered you many many moons ago & I have learnt ALOT from you. I think the green in nunderite maybe some (originally) underwater algae from the swamps that were in the Victorian region 300 million years ago & I would love to send you pictures of Harry & Sally my 2 nunderite skulls made from the of cuts of nunderite & early resin & my meteorite that I found in the hills of Perth. I couldn't believe what I was seeing with one side charred from entering the earth atmosphere, but the ultimate truth came when I picked it up, it was so heavy I had a struggle. I also found the femor & top of a megafauna koala recognising it as where it connects to the shoulder it has 5 ridges as unlike humans where we have four areas, a koala has to have 5 to lock their arms onto a tree to sleep with their baby on their tummy or back without falling off the tree. Unfortunately they must've fallen into a coastal drop cave but did not die immediately as I found a large piece of coprite with smaller pieces on the top from its baby. I suspect they died of starvation. I also ripped apart my retaining wall which was built in 1952 & they used calcium carbonate rocks from a cave & all the pieces had HUGE fossilized bones & scspulas from fossilised mega fauna. We are so lucky in Perth that in a 150 km radius of the CBD there are crystals & pegmatite everywhere of all differing varieties, you can even stop by the side of the road & pick up massive pieces as the cretins of this state use the crystals as road base, which I find absolutely appalling. Thanks again for all the videos you do, they are fascinating and so informative. Much love & *virtual hugs* from Perth. PS Your S7 information was eye opening. It's terrible how polititans can get those amendments through without public consultation & it's getting worse. You can't prospect In Tasmania at all as all minerals belong to the crown, it is truly madness!!!
I watched a meteor shower, central north NSW, years ago. A science teacher had one cut in half (better than baseball sized), it looked like this inside, a bit.
@@duellingscarguevara that would've been an awesome sight. I used to live in Wyong for a time. My meteorite is the size of a netball & I keep it outside my bedroom cos if someone breaks in they will wear it, if I have the strength to throw it. I love fossils, they were my first love, & I think that's why I love nundorite so much. I have lots of rainbow crystals & I love finding them out in nature. It would be wonderful to see a meteorite shower. I have rare pieces of the Gideon meteorite that landed in Africa. There was even a knife made from a meteorite in the tomb of King Tut (which i saw in the Cairo museum). The colonists of Africa were amazed when they saw ppl using metal tools when metallurgy did not exist on that continent yet. I find it all fascinating. To my knowledge Nunderite was found 150km north of Bendigo on Nundor Station. I realise since watching this video by OzGeo that I have been spelling it wrong. Its a very calming stone & I wish there was more of it around cos the crystal geeks would love it. I don't buy crystals any more as it is dyed & common as rose quartz, not that there is anything wrong with rose quartz. I like finding it now & maybe I will buy a metal detector & go bush.
Hearing phonolite for the first time just now and literrally my jaw dropped. Fascinating! I drove from Brisbane to Perth 3 years ago going through NSW & SA and I was absolutely in awe about this great southern land. Watching your videos amazes me just as much. Thank you for making these videos.
I'm so glad you found the phonolite info fascinating! It’s always awesome to hear how people are amazed by the unique geology of Australia. Driving from Brisbane to Perth must have been an incredible experience, especially getting to see such diverse landscapes across NSW and SA. I’m thrilled that my videos are helping you explore and appreciate this amazing land even more. Thank you for the kind words, and I’m glad to have you on this geological journey!
I enjoy reading the comments from oz , I once climbed in the Grampians Vic and found high up in rocks an undisturbed sand patch full of sea shells ! Those whom know it , are aware of its distance from the coast
That’s an amazing find! The Grampians are such a fascinating place, and discovering a patch of sand full of sea shells high up in the rocks really highlights the dynamic nature of Australia’s geology. It was a sea 500 million years ago so those shells are quite old but it’s always a reminder of how much the landscape has changed. Thanks for sharing that-what a great experience!
My daughter frequently travels out Woopwoop. I checked out a piece of drill sample rock she picked up once. One is a piece with bits of metallic inclusions.
That sounds intriguing! Metallic inclusions in a rock sample could indicate the presence of minerals or even trace metals, which might be valuable for understanding the geological history of the area. Depending on the size, shape, and type of the metallic inclusions, they could be remnants of iron-rich minerals like magnetite, pyrite, or even something rarer. If you're curious about its composition, you could try using a magnet to see if it attracts any of the metallic inclusions (which would suggest magnetite or pyrite). A more detailed analysis, like a chemical test or X-ray diffraction (XRD), could provide a clearer picture of what you're dealing with. Does the rock have any specific color, texture, or other features that stand out?
Great question! Nundorite’s hardness can vary a bit depending on its specific mineral composition, but it generally falls between 5 and 6 on the Mohs scale. The minerals in Nundorite, like aegirine and feldspathoids such as nepheline, give it a moderate hardness. It's not as hard as quartz (7), but it’s definitely tougher than minerals like apatite (5). Thanks for asking!
That's a great point! It's always important to consider the potential impacts when rare minerals are discovered. If a rock were impact-related, we’d typically expect to see elevated levels of iridium, as it’s a metal more commonly associated with meteorite impacts. Since Nundorite doesn’t show high levels of iridium, it suggests that its formation is more linked to magmatic or metasomatic processes rather than an impact event. Still, it’s crucial to always consider all possibilities when examining rare minerals. Thanks for raising this important aspect!
@@OzGeologyOfficial Thank you for elaborating. I enjoy reading or hearing added inputs which provide possible alternatives to sometimes dogmatic and limiting views of some academic specialists. Go well mate - from across the ditch.
Yep, just my thing, minerology is fascinating, geology is endlessly interesting. Pulsed, staged, fractionated, crystallised, remelted, indurated, hydromagmagmatic fluid changes, time...., + + +. That's going to keep us thinking for a while. Thanks so much for your professionalism. Sounded like you had to acquire that hand sample yourself for imaging, if so, perhaps a " thin section" under the microscope using polarised light and a slowly rotated stage? These sort of images are real eyecatchers and would go a long way to highlighting the diversity of the range of unusual minerals that form this rare rock sample. Bewdy mate, love rocks, love Straya.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the video! You’re absolutely right-mineralogy and geology are endlessly fascinating, with all those complex processes like pulsed crystallization, fractionation, and fluid interactions really keeping us on our toes. There’s so much to think about when it comes to how these rare rocks form over time. And yes, I did acquire the hand sample myself for imaging-it’s always exciting to get a closer look at such a unique specimen. A thin section under polarized light would definitely be a great way to capture the finer details and showcase the diversity of minerals in Nundorite. I’ll definitely keep that in mind for future content. Thanks for the suggestion, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the channel! It’s great to hear fellow rock lovers appreciate the beauty of Straya’s geology. Cheers, mate!
I dunno, it looks pretty remarkable to me. Reddish brown rock with green spots isn’t something you see every day. That’s a very impressive syncline too. Fascinating!
You're absolutely right-it is pretty remarkable! The reddish-brown color with green spots definitely gives Nundorite a unique and striking appearance. It’s not something you come across every day. And I’m glad you found the syncline fascinating too! It's always exciting to see such complex geological features at work, and it adds another layer to the story of how this rock formed. Thanks for your thoughts, I’m glad you’re enjoying the video!
I am not interested in Geology but this guy's passion and delivery makes rocks interesting. This channel is the definition for "Do what you love and you will be successful". Thank you. Any chance of doing a video on NSW gold?
Absolutely fascinating. I grew up in Tibooburra in the '60s and '70s and never had an inkling of any of this (the surveys probably hadn't been done). The granites of the Tibooburra Inlier and slaty gorges of the Grey Range were my playground as a child. I haven't lived in the area for decades now, but I still have extended family on various sheep/cattle properties in the district, including Mt Arrowsmith Station. Not sure if the owners/managers at Nundoora are related. As you travel south on the Silver City Highway from Tibooburra, the Koonenberry Range rears up off the plain northeast of Packsaddle. It's quite striking. Of course, being a 'local' I've never bothered travelling off the highway to have a closer look.
What an amazing childhood, exploring the granites of the Tibooburra Inlier and the slaty gorges of the Grey Range! It must have been incredible to grow up surrounded by such unique geology, even without knowing the full story behind it. The Koonenberry Range really is striking, and I can see why you'd not think to venture off the highway when you’re so familiar with the area. It's great to hear you still have family in the region-who knows, maybe there’s a connection to Nundorite’s origins! Thanks for sharing your personal connection to the area, it really adds depth to the discussion.
Great video! I've got a 100mm sphere of Nundorite that looks amazing! I've always wanted to learn more about the origin and details of this material. Thanks for the info. 👍
Haha, I totally get that-geology can get a bit technical, but I’m glad you still found it interesting! It’s one of those topics where even the basics can lead to some fascinating discoveries. Thanks for sticking with it, and I’m glad you enjoyed the video!
You’re absolutely right, Nundorite is irresistibly fascinating! The combination of reddish-brown with green spots makes it such a unique and striking rock-definitely not something you see every day. It’s amazing how rocks like Nundorite can tell such a complex geological story. Thanks for sharing your thoughts-Nundorite is truly a remarkable specimen!
Thanks, great info, I have several tumbled pieces one of my favourite gems and special because rare. I have read a bit about them but this was the deepest explanation
You're very welcome! I'm so glad you found the explanation helpful. It’s awesome to hear that you have tumbled pieces of Nundorite-such a special and rare gem! It’s always great to dive deeper into the fascinating story behind these rocks, and I’m happy to have provided some new insights. Thanks for your kind words!
Thanks for the great suggestion! Tibooburra and the Bendigo goldfield are indeed connected geologically. Both regions are part of the same Palaeozoic basement rocks in the Victoria-N.S.W. gold belt. They share similar rock types, including metamorphic slates and granites, which are known for hosting gold-bearing quartz veins. Additionally, both regions were shaped by the Delamerian Orogeny, a major tectonic event that affected southeastern Australia and contributed to the structural complexity of the gold deposits. While Bendigo is famous for its rich gold reefs, Tibooburra also has gold occurrences, mainly in alluvial deposits and quartz veins, though on a smaller scale. The tectonic folding and faulting that influenced the Bendigo goldfield also played a role in the distribution of gold in the Tibooburra area, making the connection between these regions quite fascinating. I’ll definitely consider this for a future video!
Thank you! I’m glad you found the video interesting and informative. Nundorite is such a fascinating topic, and it’s great to know you enjoyed learning about it. Thanks for watching!
Temora Green Stone is definitely a fascinating subject! It’s great to hear you're still on the hunt for it-it must be an exciting journey. A good tip is to check around the ultramafic rock outcrops in the Gunning and Wagga Wagga Terranes. Creeks and riverbeds in the area can also reveal greenstone fragments, so it’s worth exploring those spots too. If you come across any interesting finds or new info, feel free to share! Best of luck with your search!
You need a spon with someone who sells these interesting rocks. When I was a kid, that's the sort of thing that would be made into novelty ash trays - thankfully nobody needs those now, but if it's water stable it would make a cute vase to put some cut flowers in.
Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the video. I have only briefed looked into Uranganite yet, but it definitely sounds like a fascinating rock. I’ll definitely consider doing a video on it in the future if I can get my hands on one because, like Nundorite, no images are available to use due to copyright. Thanks for the suggestion!
Love you videos mate but I was thinking the other day have you heard or read about the brook street terrane? It out crops in aus and nz and I believe a few other countries. It could make a interesting video 🤙
Thanks so much, mate! I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos! And yes, I’ve heard of the Brook Street Terrane-it’s a fascinating geological feature. The way it outcrops in both Australia and New Zealand, and even extends to a few other regions, definitely makes it an interesting topic. I’ll definitely keep it in mind for a future video. Thanks for the suggestion! 🤙
Looks a lot like Llanite, found only near Llano, TX. Llanite has blue inclusions, not green, and can have either a slate-gray or light tan matrix. I have two big chunks that I dug out by the side of the road north of Llano. Llanite is probably a bit more plentiful.
Llanite is such an interesting material! The blue inclusions and the slate-gray or tan matrix definitely give it a unique look, and it’s great that you’ve found some big chunks yourself! Compared to Nundorite, Llanite is indeed more plentiful and easier to find but it’s fascinating how minerals like these form under different conditions but still capture our attention with their beauty. Thanks for sharing your find!
Thanks so much for the kind words, Famo59! I’m glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers to you too! 🍻⛏️ Always great to connect with fellow rock enthusiasts.
You're welcome, and thanks for the kind words! The rock formations between Tumut and Wee Jasper are incredible, with so much variety in terms of geology. It's such a beautiful area to explore-those rock formations really tell a unique story about the region’s geological history!
Interesting.. Michigan has a state gemstone made of pumpellyite and also had an almost continental rift as well.. I also find a lot of rocks that look somewhat similar to those you have.. Just interesting to me
Can you explain exactly why its declared so definitively to be the ONLY location on earth where it is found (was the intention instead to be the only known location)? If recent years have made it more abundantly clear, such absolutes make it difficult to believe and only serves to foster some level of distrust in future claims. I would hate for Geology to tarnish its reputation the same way Archelogy has in these matters.
You raise an excellent point, and I completely understand your concern. The statement that Nundorite is the 'only known location' is indeed based on current geological surveys and studies, which have identified it at a specific outcrop in the Koonenberry Belt, NSW. As of now, no other confirmed occurrences of Nundorite have been discovered, but it’s important to note that geology, like any science, is always evolving. New discoveries or deeper exploration may uncover more sites in the future. You're right to be cautious about absolute statements-it's always better to frame findings in terms of 'known locations' to avoid misleading conclusions. Geology, much like archaeology, benefits from continuous research and the openness to new information. I appreciate your insight, and it's a healthy reminder to approach claims with a balanced perspective. Thanks for bringing this up!
Very interesting mineralization. Cerite group minerals are pretty complex silicates. That combined with the fergusonite which is a more simple but much rarer oxide in the mix is also intriguiging. Im assuming its all light rare earths here? Seeing that a lot of that hasnt decomposed into secondary REE minerals like bastnasite and haleniusite also makes that pretty unique. Curious if any heavy REEs have been detected? Im a mineralogist from america and havent heard of this deposit but its very intriguing, this might be my late night deep dive for the night
Yeah, Nundorite can definitely be tricky to polish! The green blotches often react differently during polishing compared to the rest of the rock, causing them to stand out and become raised. It’s part of what makes this stone so unique, but it does present a challenge. Thanks for sharing your experience-always interesting to hear how others work with such a fascinating rock!
@OzGeologyOfficial thankyou for sharing , I was gifted a rough piece of this without the person telling me what it was. Incredible video , very informative.
Aloha! 🤗 I’m so glad you enjoyed the geological perspective! It’s amazing how much there is to learn and discover in the world of geology and prospecting. Even if you don’t have experience, it’s all about diving in and exploring-there’s always something new to find! If you ever get the chance to spend time prospecting, it's an incredible way to connect with the land. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm!
Black Mountain in far North Queensland is interesting due to various “disappearances” as well as these rocks known to EXPLODE. Blue green algae covering these rocks (giving its eerie black appearance) will explode after a sudden shower-plenty of that up there. Could be a good story!
Great question! While it's possible for rocks to be linked to meteor strikes, Nundorite doesn't show the typical signs of an impact event. One key factor is the lack of iridium, which is often found in high concentrations in rocks related to meteor impacts (like those associated with the K-T boundary). Since Nundorite doesn’t contain significant iridium levels, it's more likely to be the result of magmatic or metasomatic processes rather than a meteor strike. Geological evidence like this helps us narrow down the formation processes. Thanks for asking-great point!
@OzGeologyOfficial - _"...lack of iridium."_ *Maybe you can clear something up for me- If high concentrations of iridium and nickel are so common in meteorites, it seems like the entire surface of the Moon should be riddled with those mineral types... but as far as I'm aware, neither has been found in ANY of the lunar samples. How can that be? Something isn't adding up.*
The moon has iridium present. There are multiple papers that cover this. Here's on that's able to be accessed: epsc.wustl.edu/~rlk/papers/Korotev_(1987)_Apollo_16_soils.pdf
@@freemind.. Iridium (and other PGEs - Platinum Group Elements) are found in lunar rocks - at concentrations similar to on Earth - in the parts per billion or parts per trillion. A good Earth PGE ore runs out of the mine at a couple of parts per million PGEs - around a thousand times the normal concentration in terrestrial rocks. The reason is the same in both cases - early in their chemical evolution, both Earth and the Moon got sufficiently hot that most of the mass melted, allowing droplets of iron (molten) to pass through the melt under gravity. PGEs (and a variety of other chemicals) are "siderophile" - in the presence of *both* molten iron *and* molten silicate minerals, they'll dissolve into the iron. In both Earth and Moon, the iron continued into the centre of the planet (it's density is 6~7 tonnes/ cu.m, versus ~3 for typical silicate minerals), where it is to this day. The surface rocks are comparatively lacking in PGEs. *Some* asteroids (around 10%) contain fragments from such "differentiated" cores (from bodies much smaller than the Moon - the whole asteroid belt adds up to around 1% of the Moon), and after impacts these materials have been re-distributed around the asteroid belt, resulting in the *relatively* high levels of PGEs in meteorite material. "Relatively" high - these would rarely make it as "ore" in the terrestrial PGE mines - they're still factors of 10 or so too low in PGEs. Hope this helps. It's important to watch the "we're going to mine asteroids" videos to the point that they ask for investments, and reveal themselves as a Ponzi scam, needing new recruits. Hope that helps too.
It’s the only confirmed location of Nundorite so far-specifically, it's found at a small outcrop in the Koonenberry Belt near Nundora Station in New South Wales, Australia. While there have been historical reports of similar material being found in other areas, no other confirmed deposits of Nundorite have been discovered as of now.
Years ago in N. Q Australia I found hand flinted stone tools weathering out of and in a blue Precambrian ( vertical mud stone ) supposedly 400 million years old ? Also message stones as if engraved into semi partly molten rock that boggle Senior Geologists and an Archaeologists !
Need this to make little statues of Cthulhu and put in weird places around the world to mess with their heads 👍😉 It'd be a perfect prank they won't have a clue where it comes from 👍😃👍
Haha -- I was thinking -- along the same lines - except I'd use it to make ancient Egyptian - Pr-dynastic stone bowls & vases -- them sell them to all the 'Aliens gave us a Lost civilization' ----- believers --- I'd make a fortune. 😉🙂😊
@@johnpickles349my 8 year grandson moved to Australia 9 months ago. My wife asked what he liked most about Australia? He answered that the best thing is he did not need to steal loaves of bread anymore. One of the reasons they moved to Australia was he was at risk of being taken by child welfare authorities. I burst out laughing when my wife told me this and replied he was following in the footsteps of eight year old children sent to Australia for stealing a loaf of bread 200 years ago. Nothing has changed.
I hear you! Every place has its own fascinating geological and mineralogical features, but I can definitely recommend Australia if you’re looking for a land rich with unique rocks, minerals, and history. There’s so much to explore here, and you’re always welcome to come and discover it for yourself! 😊
A friend brought some Qaqortokite back from a trip during his PhD to Greenland. It's easy to recognise (in the correct, very limited localities) : go out in the early morning after some light overnight snowfall. Pick up the rocks on which the snow has melted, before the sun got to them. Put them on your sled. At base, apply a Geiger counter to them. The "hottest" rocks are Qaqortokite. Me ? - I just drink malt whiskey from uranium glass. I can do my maths - the alcohol is more dangerous than the uranium in the glass.
So, the bottom line is that despite all the theories and possibilities, no-one actually knows how this rock formed because no-one was there to see it. Therefore, to claim a particular way it was formed is just a guess and not fact.
Interestingly, despite how rare Nundorite is, it's actually quite affordable. It’s still relatively cheap compared to other rare minerals and rocks, likely because it hasn’t yet reached widespread recognition or demand. It’s a great find for collectors who are looking for something unique without breaking the bank!
Oh ghod - the Expanding Earth idiocy rears it's ugly head again. The first time I met this - on USENET sci.geo.geology - it was also being pumped (endlessly, tirelessly) by a guy with an Aussie connection (he'd complain in mid pseudo-geology screed about being thrown off a claim in the 1950s - well done that judge if it was true, I never cared to investigate). What is it about Australian geology that attracts wingnuts? Get it through your heads, EE-ers : subduction can happen : we can measure the fault motions. We can see the rocks going down. We can see the re-melted sediment and serpentinised gabbros coing back up again a couple of hundred km inland as "calc-alkaline" igneous rocks. (Not as alkaline as this "per alkaline" rock, but on the same geochemical road.) You'd lost this argument in 1908 when Wegener rejected an "expanding Earth" idea of tectonics and tried his "Polarflüght" ("flight from the poles") idea instead. That didn't work either, but at least it was sane.
When we only have a hammer, everything we look at must be a nail. If we take into account that electricity and related phenomena exist (I recommend familiarizing yourself with the theory of the Electric Universe), then minerals found on Earth can come from "outside". Let's take, for example, a piece of ordinary metal sheet on which a welder welded a "bulge" with a stainless metal electrode, will we then ask ourselves how this sheet was ever produced?
Hmmm. Fine-grained groundmass. High stiffness (if it's as soundful as the phonolite in the video). Good chance it's knappable, to some degree. But : One outcrop in one valley in one district of Australia - whether an Aboriginal *needed" a tool while standing on the outcrop and carved one ... not terribly likely to find one that has been knapped. There's a professional knapper in the English "Midlands" who does a steady trade in making Neolithic *style* arrowheads out of beer bottle glass. The technique can be applied to anything with reasonably suitable properties. But in practice, people who needed tools used what was nearby. or carried prepared tools from A to B, as at least rough-cut blanks. It's not worth the weight to carry un-cut stone.
dude ,the jargon,,you talk fast,,,get your sister to listen how you describe the rock, Dude,,i like your stuff,,longer , talk slower,explain more,,pls..
Thanks for the feedback, mate. It’s tough because I’ve always had a lot of natural energy, so my perception of what’s fast versus slow might be a bit different. I’ll try to slow things down! Which rift are you describing here? The one that formed the Adelaide Super Basin? Or the main rift in this video in the Wonnaminta zone?
If you're watching on a PC, you can slow it down yourself in 'Settings' as well as show subtitles/captions. You can also show the transcript if you expand the description at ...more and scroll to the bottom of that section. Hope that helps.
Lol no, it is not one of the rarest rocks on the earth and there's almost nothing geologically interesting in it beyond an uncommon mix of trace minerals - which happens to happen all over the place. Also, those aren't "feldspar like minerals" microcline and albite are just feldspars. Feldspar is a family group. There is also very little special about aegirine being present. Aegerine occurs in many places. This video is heavily misleading, and purposefully so. Forshame.
@OzGeologyOfficial nothing opinion about it; misrepresenting something based on a false narrative that does not follow analytical facts is not an opinion based topic.
Representing something based on the fact it is only found in one location on Earth, does indeed list it as one of the rarest rocks on Earth. Sorry you don't agree. If you took the time to read the study, even it lists it as rare. I quote "Rare and unusual rock types, or geological ‘oddities’, have long held fascination with geologists and the general public alike, and therefore serve as important avenues to promote Earth science education and outreach. They also can provide unique insights into geological processes". "This paper outlines the geological characteristics and origins of a particularly rare geological oddity, called nundorite, known only from a single locality within the Grey Range Group of the Koonenberry Belt" Peer reviewed paper: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08120099.2024.2335970 If you want to go against a peer reviewed paper, that's your choice.
@@OzGeologyOfficialexcept your "peer reviewed" article is now being reviewed by this peer who says it heavily misrepresents the rarity of the stone. Syenite is common. This stone is a syenite. It is an unusual syenite combination, sure. But it is not, as you put it, "the rarest rock" As an aside, good job posting proof of your claim while also showing you either plagiarized a whole bit of the paper for you dialogue -or- you are the author of the article you are using as "see its real cus i said so". Either way is just disappointing
Mate do yourself a favour,get off the shoulders of the,people whom have put this theory, which,has been sold as fact,AND MAYBE LOOK AT IT AGAIN, AND USE YOUR OWN GUT FEELINGS/YOU WILL MAY WELL BE SUBPRISED,because some of the things you are saying don't make sense????
@@OzGeologyOfficial I knocked about with a guy who did his PhD in such (he was more into carbonatites, but meh) when I was a student. Very well established field. No Idea where this poster was coming from. But there's at least one Expanding Earther, about, and they're always fun for pulling the wings off - if you've run out of flies.
There is so many what ifs in the dialogue and therefore your clarity is constrained to orthodoxy and unwilling to see and entertain the possibility of answering your failures to challenge your limitations about this unique continent.
I’m not quite sure what you mean here. I actually presented five different theories for Nundorite’s formation, so I’m definitely exploring a range of possibilities. In geology, ‘what ifs’ are part of the process-it’s how we tackle mysteries when there’s limited data. With so few exposures of Nundorite, exploring different ideas is essential to understanding it.
No. no mention of anyone cutting any core samples of this. That said - as a (probably) near surface rock, rapidly cooled, and little re-heated afterwards (fine groundmass), it's the sort of thing I'd look for if I wanted to do geomagnetic work in this area. I don't know if anyone does want to do geomag ... but. I should have said - taking samples for geomagnetic research typically involve drilling a short (2cm) core of rock (~2cm diameter) out of the exposure - several times. The trace fossils of the working geomagnetism researcher are very distinctive.
Interesting.. Michigan has a state gemstone made of pumpellyite and also had an almost continental rift as well.. I also find a lot of rocks that look somewhat similar to those you have.. Just interesting to me
That’s so cool! I’ve read a bit on the rifts in the usa and I’ll be covering a lot more US content soon so I’ll take a look into it! Thanks for letting me know! You have an amazing country full of incredible geology.
@ I think there’s a lot more to uncover than what’s been seen so far, and I do hope someone will be able to tell a good story that makes some more sense someday, maybe it will be you!!
If I recall my "shallow" metamorphism correctly, there's a whole suite of minerals - including phrenite and pumpellyite which form together under low-temperature and moderate pressure conditions - which is exactly what you would get in a rift that fails. (If the rift "succeeds", the rocks continue going down and pass from the phrenite-pumpellyite zone into the "blueschist" zone, then down further into hotter, higher pressure rocks for chlorite-, then mica-, then garnet- schists. And then you're full-on into the field of metamorphic petrology (16 hours a week for 2 years of your degree).
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See what you can do when you put your' mind to it.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂❤
My family operate the "Noble" Garnet mine ( green garnets), in FNQ if your interested in coming up for a look.
Nonetherite 😂
Good I chanced upon this video and subscribed to your channel. For lay persons like us is there some way to understand this a little better?
I am sure each of the lines you discussed on specific minerals and processes, is worth long hours of classes, but is there some place where we can read this and understand it? I am sure it will not be easy, given that so many young people work hard and study to become geologists, so just reading something may not help.
But if there's some place online, where we could read and understand at least some of this, please do let us know. Thank you.
Thank you so much for subscribing and for your thoughtful comment! I truly appreciate your curiosity about geology-it’s always great to see people wanting to learn more. You’re absolutely right that many of these topics could take hours to fully explore, but there are some great online resources that can help laypersons get a solid understanding.
I’d recommend starting with sites like the Geological Society of America (GSA) or Geology.com, which offer beginner-friendly explanations of minerals, rocks, and geological processes. If you’re interested in more visual and accessible learning, UA-cam channels like 'PBS Eons' or 'SciShow Earth' also have fantastic content for non-specialists. For a more in-depth dive, you might enjoy reading a book like The Story of Earth by Robert M. Hazen-it’s written for a general audience but dives into geology in an engaging way.
If there’s a specific topic from the video you’d like me to explain further, feel free to ask-I’d be happy to help
I once carved an access road to the top of Mt Shannon & Arrowsmith years ago for Telecom , the rocks were so sharp if you spun your wheels on the old grader it would cut your tyres to shreds , we spent a lot of time fixing tyres, they say that the Aboriginals used to trade the stone & samples were found across most of NSW
Wow !!!!!!!!
Wow, what an incredible story! It’s fascinating to hear about your experience working on Mount Shannon and Arrowsmith-those sharp rocks sound intense! It’s amazing to think that the same rugged terrain you were working in was significant to Aboriginal peoples for trade. The idea that stone from this region was traded across most of NSW shows how important these materials were in their culture and daily life. Thanks for sharing this-it adds such a rich historical perspective to the geology of the area!
Why is Australia always trying to kill everybody who lives there..? (At least a little...)
These sharp stones remind me of obesidion in the volcanic region of Oregon state in the united states . Stones from there have been found in Mexico and the east coast of the us . All over the Americas
@@brentmiller3951Yeah as someone who grew up in Oregon, I was just gonna say that sounds like typical volcanic rock haha
I have many pieces of nunderite in my collection. I had been told it had been found when digging a pond on Nunder Station & although ppl had dug for more in the region none was discovered. The rock hounds of the area (over 120 years ago) had it in their back sheds. My friend after he retired bought himself a helicopter & started visiting houses in the area who were part of a group who worked the nunderite they found into spheres etc. They even used the scraps from this process & resin pours to make the scraps into skulls, & this was when the use of resin was in its infancy after WW2. I have got 2 skulls from this process as well. I carry a small sphere of nunderite where ever I go. Back in the day you could find nunderite on healing crystals an American website but I have not seen any in decades. I loved watching this video & I thank you very much for the information you imparted (as in all your videos) about one of my favourite crystals. If it wasn't for the late old timers in that lapidary club & my friend with his retirement helicopter I would not have as much in my collection. Again many thanks. You should see the meteorite I found in the hills of Perth. ❤ ❤❤ love your channel.
What an incredible collection you must have! It’s amazing to hear about the history of Nundorite in your region, and the story of how it was worked into spheres and even skulls is fascinating. The use of resin in the lapidary process after WW2 adds such a unique historical angle. It’s great that your friend’s efforts with the helicopter helped preserve that connection to the local rockhounding community, and I love that you carry a small sphere with you. The story about Nundorite showing up on American crystal websites is really interesting too-it's crazy how these things can disappear from circulation over time.
Thanks for sharing such a personal and enriching story about your passion for Nundorite and lapidary. I’m glad you enjoyed the video and appreciate the kind words! Also, your meteorite find in Perth sounds like another amazing discovery! I’d love to hear more about that sometime. Thanks again for your support and for being part of this community!
@OzGeologyOfficial you are so very welcome, my friend, if I may call you that. I first discovered you many many moons ago & I have learnt ALOT from you.
I think the green in nunderite maybe some (originally) underwater algae from the swamps that were in the Victorian region 300 million years ago & I would love to send you pictures of Harry & Sally my 2 nunderite skulls made from the of cuts of nunderite & early resin & my meteorite that I found in the hills of Perth. I couldn't believe what I was seeing with one side charred from entering the earth atmosphere, but the ultimate truth came when I picked it up, it was so heavy I had a struggle.
I also found the femor & top of a megafauna koala recognising it as where it connects to the shoulder it has 5 ridges as unlike humans where we have four areas, a koala has to have 5 to lock their arms onto a tree to sleep with their baby on their tummy or back without falling off the tree. Unfortunately they must've fallen into a coastal drop cave but did not die immediately as I found a large piece of coprite with smaller pieces on the top from its baby. I suspect they died of starvation.
I also ripped apart my retaining wall which was built in 1952 & they used calcium carbonate rocks from a cave & all the pieces had HUGE fossilized bones & scspulas from fossilised mega fauna.
We are so lucky in Perth that in a 150 km radius of the CBD there are crystals & pegmatite everywhere of all differing varieties, you can even stop by the side of the road & pick up massive pieces as the cretins of this state use the crystals as road base, which I find absolutely appalling.
Thanks again for all the videos you do, they are fascinating and so informative. Much love & *virtual hugs* from Perth. PS Your S7 information was eye opening. It's terrible how polititans can get those amendments through without public consultation & it's getting worse.
You can't prospect In Tasmania at all as all minerals belong to the crown, it is truly madness!!!
*coprolite & *scapulas, goodness spell check auto is a pain LOL. 🤔
I watched a meteor shower, central north NSW, years ago. A science teacher had one cut in half (better than baseball sized), it looked like this inside, a bit.
@@duellingscarguevara that would've been an awesome sight. I used to live in Wyong for a time. My meteorite is the size of a netball & I keep it outside my bedroom cos if someone breaks in they will wear it, if I have the strength to throw it. I love fossils, they were my first love, & I think that's why I love nundorite so much. I have lots of rainbow crystals & I love finding them out in nature. It would be wonderful to see a meteorite shower. I have rare pieces of the Gideon meteorite that landed in Africa. There was even a knife made from a meteorite in the tomb of King Tut (which i saw in the Cairo museum). The colonists of Africa were amazed when they saw ppl using metal tools when metallurgy did not exist on that continent yet. I find it all fascinating.
To my knowledge Nunderite was found 150km north of Bendigo on Nundor Station. I realise since watching this video by OzGeo that I have been spelling it wrong. Its a very calming stone & I wish there was more of it around cos the crystal geeks would love it. I don't buy crystals any more as it is dyed & common as rose quartz, not that there is anything wrong with rose quartz. I like finding it now & maybe I will buy a metal detector & go bush.
Hearing phonolite for the first time just now and literrally my jaw dropped. Fascinating!
I drove from Brisbane to Perth 3 years ago going through NSW & SA and I was absolutely in awe about this great southern land. Watching your videos amazes me just as much. Thank you for making these videos.
I'm so glad you found the phonolite info fascinating! It’s always awesome to hear how people are amazed by the unique geology of Australia. Driving from Brisbane to Perth must have been an incredible experience, especially getting to see such diverse landscapes across NSW and SA. I’m thrilled that my videos are helping you explore and appreciate this amazing land even more. Thank you for the kind words, and I’m glad to have you on this geological journey!
I love the sound too! @@OzGeologyOfficial
Sea Floor Metasomatism - good name for a band
Hahahaha! That is so true!
*Metamorphic Rock* on MoonJune Recs. you may like. : )
I enjoy reading the comments from oz , I once climbed in the Grampians Vic and found high up in rocks an undisturbed sand patch full of sea shells ! Those whom know it , are aware of its distance from the coast
That’s an amazing find! The Grampians are such a fascinating place, and discovering a patch of sand full of sea shells high up in the rocks really highlights the dynamic nature of Australia’s geology. It was a sea 500 million years ago so those shells are quite old but it’s always a reminder of how much the landscape has changed. Thanks for sharing that-what a great experience!
My daughter frequently travels out Woopwoop.
I checked out a piece of drill sample rock she picked up once.
One is a piece with bits of metallic inclusions.
That sounds intriguing! Metallic inclusions in a rock sample could indicate the presence of minerals or even trace metals, which might be valuable for understanding the geological history of the area. Depending on the size, shape, and type of the metallic inclusions, they could be remnants of iron-rich minerals like magnetite, pyrite, or even something rarer.
If you're curious about its composition, you could try using a magnet to see if it attracts any of the metallic inclusions (which would suggest magnetite or pyrite). A more detailed analysis, like a chemical test or X-ray diffraction (XRD), could provide a clearer picture of what you're dealing with.
Does the rock have any specific color, texture, or other features that stand out?
Where is it on the Mohs scale...?
Great question! Nundorite’s hardness can vary a bit depending on its specific mineral composition, but it generally falls between 5 and 6 on the Mohs scale. The minerals in Nundorite, like aegirine and feldspathoids such as nepheline, give it a moderate hardness. It's not as hard as quartz (7), but it’s definitely tougher than minerals like apatite (5). Thanks for asking!
Whenever rare minerals are found, consider impacts.
Exactly!!!
Or verneshots
That's a great point! It's always important to consider the potential impacts when rare minerals are discovered. If a rock were impact-related, we’d typically expect to see elevated levels of iridium, as it’s a metal more commonly associated with meteorite impacts. Since Nundorite doesn’t show high levels of iridium, it suggests that its formation is more linked to magmatic or metasomatic processes rather than an impact event. Still, it’s crucial to always consider all possibilities when examining rare minerals. Thanks for raising this important aspect!
@@OzGeologyOfficial Thank you for elaborating. I enjoy reading or hearing added inputs which provide possible alternatives to sometimes dogmatic and limiting views of some academic specialists. Go well mate - from across the ditch.
@@OzGeologyOfficial
would an iron meteorite impart iridium?
Yep, just my thing, minerology is fascinating, geology is endlessly interesting.
Pulsed, staged, fractionated, crystallised, remelted, indurated, hydromagmagmatic fluid changes, time....,
+ + +. That's going to keep us thinking for a while.
Thanks so much for your professionalism.
Sounded like you had to acquire that hand sample yourself for imaging, if so, perhaps a " thin section" under the microscope using polarised light and a slowly rotated stage? These sort of images are real eyecatchers and would go a long way to highlighting the diversity of the range of unusual minerals that form this rare rock sample.
Bewdy mate, love rocks, love Straya.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the video! You’re absolutely right-mineralogy and geology are endlessly fascinating, with all those complex processes like pulsed crystallization, fractionation, and fluid interactions really keeping us on our toes. There’s so much to think about when it comes to how these rare rocks form over time.
And yes, I did acquire the hand sample myself for imaging-it’s always exciting to get a closer look at such a unique specimen. A thin section under polarized light would definitely be a great way to capture the finer details and showcase the diversity of minerals in Nundorite. I’ll definitely keep that in mind for future content.
Thanks for the suggestion, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the channel! It’s great to hear fellow rock lovers appreciate the beauty of Straya’s geology. Cheers, mate!
I dunno, it looks pretty remarkable to me. Reddish brown rock with green spots isn’t something you see every day.
That’s a very impressive syncline too. Fascinating!
You're absolutely right-it is pretty remarkable! The reddish-brown color with green spots definitely gives Nundorite a unique and striking appearance. It’s not something you come across every day. And I’m glad you found the syncline fascinating too! It's always exciting to see such complex geological features at work, and it adds another layer to the story of how this rock formed. Thanks for your thoughts, I’m glad you’re enjoying the video!
I am not interested in Geology but this guy's passion and delivery makes rocks interesting.
This channel is the definition for "Do what you love and you will be successful".
Thank you.
Any chance of doing a video on NSW gold?
Thanks!
Thank you for your donation and continued support mate! I appreciate it so much and I’m glad you enjoyed the video 😁
A very enjoyable informative video
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching 😁
Absolutely fascinating. I grew up in Tibooburra in the '60s and '70s and never had an inkling of any of this (the surveys probably hadn't been done). The granites of the Tibooburra Inlier and slaty gorges of the Grey Range were my playground as a child. I haven't lived in the area for decades now, but I still have extended family on various sheep/cattle properties in the district, including Mt Arrowsmith Station. Not sure if the owners/managers at Nundoora are related.
As you travel south on the Silver City Highway from Tibooburra, the Koonenberry Range rears up off the plain northeast of Packsaddle. It's quite striking. Of course, being a 'local' I've never bothered travelling off the highway to have a closer look.
What an amazing childhood, exploring the granites of the Tibooburra Inlier and the slaty gorges of the Grey Range! It must have been incredible to grow up surrounded by such unique geology, even without knowing the full story behind it. The Koonenberry Range really is striking, and I can see why you'd not think to venture off the highway when you’re so familiar with the area. It's great to hear you still have family in the region-who knows, maybe there’s a connection to Nundorite’s origins! Thanks for sharing your personal connection to the area, it really adds depth to the discussion.
Great video!
I've got a 100mm sphere of Nundorite that looks amazing! I've always wanted to learn more about the origin and details of this material.
Thanks for the info. 👍
One rocking and head banging volcano.
I totally agree mate! Thank you so much for watching!
I understood very little of what you were speaking about but it was still interesting as hell 😊
Haha, I totally get that-geology can get a bit technical, but I’m glad you still found it interesting! It’s one of those topics where even the basics can lead to some fascinating discoveries. Thanks for sticking with it, and I’m glad you enjoyed the video!
Great video!
Very interesting.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Not fascinating? I find it irresistibly fascinating.
You’re absolutely right, Nundorite is irresistibly fascinating! The combination of reddish-brown with green spots makes it such a unique and striking rock-definitely not something you see every day. It’s amazing how rocks like Nundorite can tell such a complex geological story. Thanks for sharing your thoughts-Nundorite is truly a remarkable specimen!
Thanks, great info, I have several tumbled pieces one of my favourite gems and special because rare. I have read a bit about them but this was the deepest explanation
You're very welcome! I'm so glad you found the explanation helpful. It’s awesome to hear that you have tumbled pieces of Nundorite-such a special and rare gem! It’s always great to dive deeper into the fascinating story behind these rocks, and I’m happy to have provided some new insights. Thanks for your kind words!
I've just learnt 400 new words .
Now I feel dumb
Thanks so much!
You're very welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Would love a video on tibooburra (just to the NW of this video) and it's links to the Bendigo goldfield.
Thanks for the great suggestion! Tibooburra and the Bendigo goldfield are indeed connected geologically. Both regions are part of the same Palaeozoic basement rocks in the Victoria-N.S.W. gold belt. They share similar rock types, including metamorphic slates and granites, which are known for hosting gold-bearing quartz veins. Additionally, both regions were shaped by the Delamerian Orogeny, a major tectonic event that affected southeastern Australia and contributed to the structural complexity of the gold deposits.
While Bendigo is famous for its rich gold reefs, Tibooburra also has gold occurrences, mainly in alluvial deposits and quartz veins, though on a smaller scale. The tectonic folding and faulting that influenced the Bendigo goldfield also played a role in the distribution of gold in the Tibooburra area, making the connection between these regions quite fascinating. I’ll definitely consider this for a future video!
Very interesting and informative video, fasinating.
Thank you! I’m glad you found the video interesting and informative. Nundorite is such a fascinating topic, and it’s great to know you enjoyed learning about it. Thanks for watching!
You keep talking about how ordinary it looks and I'm like "are we seeing the same thing? That rock has way more charisma than most.
Temora green stone is an interesting subject we are still on the hunt for it.
Temora Green Stone is definitely a fascinating subject! It’s great to hear you're still on the hunt for it-it must be an exciting journey. A good tip is to check around the ultramafic rock outcrops in the Gunning and Wagga Wagga Terranes. Creeks and riverbeds in the area can also reveal greenstone fragments, so it’s worth exploring those spots too. If you come across any interesting finds or new info, feel free to share! Best of luck with your search!
@@OzGeologyOfficial The Temora museum has an amazing rock room worth checking out.
You need a spon with someone who sells these interesting rocks. When I was a kid, that's the sort of thing that would be made into novelty ash trays - thankfully nobody needs those now, but if it's water stable it would make a cute vase to put some cut flowers in.
Another fantastic video, have you looked into Uranganite?
Certainly looks like a very nice rock once cut n polished
Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the video. I have only briefed looked into Uranganite yet, but it definitely sounds like a fascinating rock. I’ll definitely consider doing a video on it in the future if I can get my hands on one because, like Nundorite, no images are available to use due to copyright. Thanks for the suggestion!
*beautiful rocks*
This channel rocks.
Love you videos mate but I was thinking the other day have you heard or read about the brook street terrane? It out crops in aus and nz and I believe a few other countries. It could make a interesting video 🤙
Thanks so much, mate! I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos! And yes, I’ve heard of the Brook Street Terrane-it’s a fascinating geological feature. The way it outcrops in both Australia and New Zealand, and even extends to a few other regions, definitely makes it an interesting topic. I’ll definitely keep it in mind for a future video. Thanks for the suggestion! 🤙
Looks a lot like Llanite, found only near Llano, TX. Llanite has blue inclusions, not green, and can have either a slate-gray or light tan matrix. I have two big chunks that I dug out by the side of the road north of Llano. Llanite is probably a bit more plentiful.
Llanite is such an interesting material! The blue inclusions and the slate-gray or tan matrix definitely give it a unique look, and it’s great that you’ve found some big chunks yourself! Compared to Nundorite, Llanite is indeed more plentiful and easier to find but it’s fascinating how minerals like these form under different conditions but still capture our attention with their beauty. Thanks for sharing your find!
Fantastic.
Thanks for sharing this.
Cheers Famo59🍻⛏️
Thanks so much for the kind words, Famo59! I’m glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers to you too! 🍻⛏️ Always great to connect with fellow rock enthusiasts.
Interesting video thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you that was very interesting. On the way up Wee Jasper from Tumut there some amazing rock formations.
You're welcome, and thanks for the kind words! The rock formations between Tumut and Wee Jasper are incredible, with so much variety in terms of geology. It's such a beautiful area to explore-those rock formations really tell a unique story about the region’s geological history!
Interesting.. Michigan has a state gemstone made of pumpellyite and also had an almost continental rift as well.. I also find a lot of rocks that look somewhat similar to those you have.. Just interesting to me
Can you explain exactly why its declared so definitively to be the ONLY location on earth where it is found (was the intention instead to be the only known location)? If recent years have made it more abundantly clear, such absolutes make it difficult to believe and only serves to foster some level of distrust in future claims. I would hate for Geology to tarnish its reputation the same way Archelogy has in these matters.
"Known" says it all.
You raise an excellent point, and I completely understand your concern. The statement that Nundorite is the 'only known location' is indeed based on current geological surveys and studies, which have identified it at a specific outcrop in the Koonenberry Belt, NSW. As of now, no other confirmed occurrences of Nundorite have been discovered, but it’s important to note that geology, like any science, is always evolving. New discoveries or deeper exploration may uncover more sites in the future.
You're right to be cautious about absolute statements-it's always better to frame findings in terms of 'known locations' to avoid misleading conclusions. Geology, much like archaeology, benefits from continuous research and the openness to new information. I appreciate your insight, and it's a healthy reminder to approach claims with a balanced perspective. Thanks for bringing this up!
@@OzGeologyOfficial Your response and clarification is appreciated!
Very interesting mineralization. Cerite group minerals are pretty complex silicates. That combined with the fergusonite which is a more simple but much rarer oxide in the mix is also intriguiging. Im assuming its all light rare earths here? Seeing that a lot of that hasnt decomposed into secondary REE minerals like bastnasite and haleniusite also makes that pretty unique. Curious if any heavy REEs have been detected? Im a mineralogist from america and havent heard of this deposit but its very intriguing, this might be my late night deep dive for the night
Slay, we love a unique girlie
Haha, love the energy! Nundorite definitely deserves a little love for being such a unique rock. Glad you’re enjoying the content!
Its a very strange stone to polish, the green blotches become raised
Yeah, Nundorite can definitely be tricky to polish! The green blotches often react differently during polishing compared to the rest of the rock, causing them to stand out and become raised. It’s part of what makes this stone so unique, but it does present a challenge. Thanks for sharing your experience-always interesting to hear how others work with such a fascinating rock!
@OzGeologyOfficial thankyou for sharing , I was gifted a rough piece of this without the person telling me what it was. Incredible video , very informative.
It would make a good benchtop or architectural feature. Can it be exploited?
Aloha hugs 🤗 I love the Web Idea, I have no experience Enjoyed your Geologist eyes on Would live to spend the rest of my life Prospecting
Aloha! 🤗 I’m so glad you enjoyed the geological perspective! It’s amazing how much there is to learn and discover in the world of geology and prospecting. Even if you don’t have experience, it’s all about diving in and exploring-there’s always something new to find! If you ever get the chance to spend time prospecting, it's an incredible way to connect with the land. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm!
Black Mountain in far North Queensland is interesting due to various “disappearances” as well as these rocks known to EXPLODE.
Blue green algae covering these rocks (giving its eerie black appearance) will explode after a sudden shower-plenty of that up there.
Could be a good story!
Another excellent video for we rock nerds. Wear those wedgies with pride!
If it was an Earth process it should be somewhere else. How is it ruled out from a meteor strike?
Great question! While it's possible for rocks to be linked to meteor strikes, Nundorite doesn't show the typical signs of an impact event. One key factor is the lack of iridium, which is often found in high concentrations in rocks related to meteor impacts (like those associated with the K-T boundary). Since Nundorite doesn’t contain significant iridium levels, it's more likely to be the result of magmatic or metasomatic processes rather than a meteor strike. Geological evidence like this helps us narrow down the formation processes. Thanks for asking-great point!
@OzGeologyOfficial - _"...lack of iridium."_
*Maybe you can clear something up for me- If high concentrations of iridium and nickel are so common in meteorites, it seems like the entire surface of the Moon should be riddled with those mineral types... but as far as I'm aware, neither has been found in ANY of the lunar samples. How can that be? Something isn't adding up.*
The moon has iridium present. There are multiple papers that cover this. Here's on that's able to be accessed: epsc.wustl.edu/~rlk/papers/Korotev_(1987)_Apollo_16_soils.pdf
@@freemind.. Iridium (and other PGEs - Platinum Group Elements) are found in lunar rocks - at concentrations similar to on Earth - in the parts per billion or parts per trillion. A good Earth PGE ore runs out of the mine at a couple of parts per million PGEs - around a thousand times the normal concentration in terrestrial rocks.
The reason is the same in both cases - early in their chemical evolution, both Earth and the Moon got sufficiently hot that most of the mass melted, allowing droplets of iron (molten) to pass through the melt under gravity. PGEs (and a variety of other chemicals) are "siderophile" - in the presence of *both* molten iron *and* molten silicate minerals, they'll dissolve into the iron. In both Earth and Moon, the iron continued into the centre of the planet (it's density is 6~7 tonnes/ cu.m, versus ~3 for typical silicate minerals), where it is to this day. The surface rocks are comparatively lacking in PGEs.
*Some* asteroids (around 10%) contain fragments from such "differentiated" cores (from bodies much smaller than the Moon - the whole asteroid belt adds up to around 1% of the Moon), and after impacts these materials have been re-distributed around the asteroid belt, resulting in the *relatively* high levels of PGEs in meteorite material.
"Relatively" high - these would rarely make it as "ore" in the terrestrial PGE mines - they're still factors of 10 or so too low in PGEs.
Hope this helps. It's important to watch the "we're going to mine asteroids" videos to the point that they ask for investments, and reveal themselves as a Ponzi scam, needing new recruits. Hope that helps too.
Interesting video bro
Thanks, Kishen! Glad you enjoyed it! :D
It's already for sale in various places.
Yup it's been for sale for a while now! Many shops carry it :)
The only location, or the only location so far?
It’s the only confirmed location of Nundorite so far-specifically, it's found at a small outcrop in the Koonenberry Belt near Nundora Station in New South Wales, Australia. While there have been historical reports of similar material being found in other areas, no other confirmed deposits of Nundorite have been discovered as of now.
Years ago in N. Q Australia I found hand flinted stone tools weathering out of and in a blue Precambrian ( vertical mud stone ) supposedly 400 million years old ? Also message stones as if engraved into semi partly molten rock that boggle Senior Geologists and an Archaeologists !
OzGeology? Can you do a video on Mariposite? (found only in Mariposa California).
Need this to make little statues of Cthulhu and put in weird places around the world to mess with their heads 👍😉
It'd be a perfect prank they won't have a clue where it comes from 👍😃👍
Haha -- I was thinking -- along the same lines -
except I'd use it to make ancient Egyptian - Pr-dynastic stone bowls & vases --
them sell them to all the 'Aliens gave us a Lost civilization' ----- believers --- I'd make a fortune. 😉🙂😊
@PaxAlotin 😉 go ya halves 👍😃👍
@PaxAlotin I wonder if there is a way to 3d cut these stones like a 3d printer
😂
@melissafarrugia9531 getting there 👍😁👍
There is a field of ringing rocks in Bucks County Pennsylvania, USA. I have no idea what might be their composition.
Where did you get your piece of Nundorite? i checked on Ebay and all available specimens are from the USA, lol
I got mine from Etsy!
@@OzGeologyOfficial 🤙legend
Looked like a porphyria to me
Using specific gravity,hardness,type it acourdingly,and name it on its locality.😊no problems mate.
Exactly! You’re spot on, mate! Keep up the great rock hunting!
😢i wish i lived in Australia
Where are you? I know that saying the grass is greener on the other side, but now the rocks are greener on the other side 😂
Aussie here
😊@@melissafarrugia9531
It’s not a nation founded by convicts.
It’s an administrative and bureaucratic state governed by modern day jail wardens.
@@johnpickles349my 8 year grandson moved to Australia 9 months ago. My wife asked what he liked most about Australia? He answered that the best thing is he did not need to steal loaves of bread anymore. One of the reasons they moved to Australia was he was at risk of being taken by child welfare authorities. I burst out laughing when my wife told me this and replied he was following in the footsteps of eight year old children sent to Australia for stealing a loaf of bread 200 years ago. Nothing has changed.
I hear you! Every place has its own fascinating geological and mineralogical features, but I can definitely recommend Australia if you’re looking for a land rich with unique rocks, minerals, and history. There’s so much to explore here, and you’re always welcome to come and discover it for yourself! 😊
We have leveright around here .... Leave her right there❤✌️
Hahaha love it!
A friend brought some Qaqortokite back from a trip during his PhD to Greenland. It's easy to recognise (in the correct, very limited localities) : go out in the early morning after some light overnight snowfall. Pick up the rocks on which the snow has melted, before the sun got to them. Put them on your sled. At base, apply a Geiger counter to them. The "hottest" rocks are Qaqortokite.
Me ? - I just drink malt whiskey from uranium glass. I can do my maths - the alcohol is more dangerous than the uranium in the glass.
Imagine getting copyrighted for showing a picture of a friggin rock! 🤦♂️ world is stupid sometimes.
I have this rock
Lucky you
That's awesome! It’s great that you have a piece of Nundorite. It's such a unique and fascinating rock with a lot of geological history behind it!
I've seen that in Qld tbh
Australia and USA Washington are great places for geology
Looks like leverite to me
Does it have a practical use?
Looks like some counter tops i see in alot of kitchen redecorations.... probably an engineered type though... made to look similar.?🤔🤷🏻♀️.
1:36 huh weird.? whya re there no free to use images of this rock???
So, the bottom line is that despite all the theories and possibilities, no-one actually knows how this rock formed because no-one was there to see it. Therefore, to claim a particular way it was formed is just a guess and not fact.
What is it worth monetary wise
It's a rare, fossilized organ from a giant creature.
There are many tools to use. In many different cases. Website tools included. Use what works for you
Cut me a slab for some counter tops!
As it is so rare, is it very expensive?
Interestingly, despite how rare Nundorite is, it's actually quite affordable. It’s still relatively cheap compared to other rare minerals and rocks, likely because it hasn’t yet reached widespread recognition or demand. It’s a great find for collectors who are looking for something unique without breaking the bank!
You seem to neglect the probability that this planet was only about half the diameter and 2/3 the mass of what it is today.
That's because it wasn't.
Oh ghod - the Expanding Earth idiocy rears it's ugly head again. The first time I met this - on USENET sci.geo.geology - it was also being pumped (endlessly, tirelessly) by a guy with an Aussie connection (he'd complain in mid pseudo-geology screed about being thrown off a claim in the 1950s - well done that judge if it was true, I never cared to investigate).
What is it about Australian geology that attracts wingnuts?
Get it through your heads, EE-ers : subduction can happen : we can measure the fault motions. We can see the rocks going down. We can see the re-melted sediment and serpentinised gabbros coing back up again a couple of hundred km inland as "calc-alkaline" igneous rocks. (Not as alkaline as this "per alkaline" rock, but on the same geochemical road.) You'd lost this argument in 1908 when Wegener rejected an "expanding Earth" idea of tectonics and tried his "Polarflüght" ("flight from the poles") idea instead. That didn't work either, but at least it was sane.
Definitely not a leveright. Leave it right there lol
What kind of rock is found on Mt. Led Zepplin?
Hard Rock ;D
When we only have a hammer, everything we look at must be a nail. If we take into account that electricity and related phenomena exist (I recommend familiarizing yourself with the theory of the Electric Universe), then minerals found on Earth can come from "outside". Let's take, for example, a piece of ordinary metal sheet on which a welder welded a "bulge" with a stainless metal electrode, will we then ask ourselves how this sheet was ever produced?
The "Electric Universe" is good for a belly laugh. Once. After that, it's not even funny-peculiar, and certainly not funny-ha-ha.
Looks similar to the olavine spotted rocks of Mars origin.
Isn't there also a mineral that is found only in a single volcano in Japan?
New south wales? Looks Australia to me.
Is it knappable?
Hmmm. Fine-grained groundmass. High stiffness (if it's as soundful as the phonolite in the video). Good chance it's knappable, to some degree.
But :
One outcrop in one valley in one district of Australia - whether an Aboriginal *needed" a tool while standing on the outcrop and carved one ... not terribly likely to find one that has been knapped.
There's a professional knapper in the English "Midlands" who does a steady trade in making Neolithic *style* arrowheads out of beer bottle glass. The technique can be applied to anything with reasonably suitable properties. But in practice, people who needed tools used what was nearby. or carried prepared tools from A to B, as at least rough-cut blanks. It's not worth the weight to carry un-cut stone.
What about from space?
Looks like a disc brake pad...
Ok so think of earths plates as well he tiny plates of dark lava. On top of a pool of lava. Just up size it. It happens in slower time frames.
Is it the only place on Earth or the only place on the face of the Earth?
Looks like salami! lol
Valuable tool for advancing earth science education but no foto available because of copyright haha.
aegerine congo ? great divide?
you wcould never compare yourself to New england rocks
dude ,the jargon,,you talk fast,,,get your sister to listen how you describe the rock,
Dude,,i like your stuff,,longer , talk slower,explain more,,pls..
Cool, after that,,that rift,,whatever was pulling it let go first,,so, where was it joined,,
Delamarian,,it was subducting furrther up, so it would pull towards the subduction zone first, then stop wen the end fell off,,
Thanks for the feedback, mate. It’s tough because I’ve always had a lot of natural energy, so my perception of what’s fast versus slow might be a bit different. I’ll try to slow things down! Which rift are you describing here? The one that formed the Adelaide Super Basin? Or the main rift in this video in the Wonnaminta zone?
@@OzGeologyOfficial I gotta watch it again,,k
If you're watching on a PC, you can slow it down yourself in 'Settings' as well as show subtitles/captions. You can also show the transcript if you expand the description at ...more and scroll to the bottom of that section. Hope that helps.
Why nunderite ? because it's so rare most people have nun -- 😉🙃
Or because it's from dow nunder?
Shit i want a peice
Looks like black pudding
🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺👍👍👍
Lol no, it is not one of the rarest rocks on the earth and there's almost nothing geologically interesting in it beyond an uncommon mix of trace minerals - which happens to happen all over the place.
Also, those aren't "feldspar like minerals" microcline and albite are just feldspars. Feldspar is a family group. There is also very little special about aegirine being present. Aegerine occurs in many places.
This video is heavily misleading, and purposefully so. Forshame.
Yes, it is one of the rarest rocks on Earth. There is more going on than just an uncommon mix of trace minerals. But you are entitled to your opinion.
@OzGeologyOfficial nothing opinion about it; misrepresenting something based on a false narrative that does not follow analytical facts is not an opinion based topic.
Representing something based on the fact it is only found in one location on Earth, does indeed list it as one of the rarest rocks on Earth. Sorry you don't agree. If you took the time to read the study, even it lists it as rare. I quote "Rare and unusual rock types, or geological ‘oddities’, have long held fascination with geologists and the general public alike, and therefore serve as important avenues to promote Earth science education and outreach. They also can provide unique insights into geological processes".
"This paper outlines the geological characteristics and origins of a particularly rare geological oddity, called nundorite, known only from a single locality within the Grey Range Group of the Koonenberry Belt"
Peer reviewed paper: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08120099.2024.2335970
If you want to go against a peer reviewed paper, that's your choice.
@@OzGeologyOfficialexcept your "peer reviewed" article is now being reviewed by this peer who says it heavily misrepresents the rarity of the stone.
Syenite is common. This stone is a syenite. It is an unusual syenite combination, sure. But it is not, as you put it, "the rarest rock"
As an aside, good job posting proof of your claim while also showing you either plagiarized a whole bit of the paper for you dialogue -or- you are the author of the article you are using as "see its real cus i said so". Either way is just disappointing
Mate do yourself a favour,get off the shoulders of the,people whom have put this theory, which,has been sold as fact,AND MAYBE LOOK AT IT AGAIN, AND USE YOUR OWN GUT FEELINGS/YOU WILL MAY WELL BE SUBPRISED,because some of the things you are saying don't make sense????
Not sure what you mean. I’ve looked at it myself and everything makes sense regarding extreme crystal fractionation from an altered mantle source.
@@OzGeologyOfficial I knocked about with a guy who did his PhD in such (he was more into carbonatites, but meh) when I was a student. Very well established field.
No Idea where this poster was coming from. But there's at least one Expanding Earther, about, and they're always fun for pulling the wings off - if you've run out of flies.
There is so many what ifs in the dialogue and therefore your clarity is constrained to orthodoxy and unwilling to see and entertain the possibility of answering your failures to challenge your limitations about this unique continent.
I’m not quite sure what you mean here. I actually presented five different theories for Nundorite’s formation, so I’m definitely exploring a range of possibilities. In geology, ‘what ifs’ are part of the process-it’s how we tackle mysteries when there’s limited data. With so few exposures of Nundorite, exploring different ideas is essential to understanding it.
Trying to say oldest place and people on earth , false
Boring
No. no mention of anyone cutting any core samples of this.
That said - as a (probably) near surface rock, rapidly cooled, and little re-heated afterwards (fine groundmass), it's the sort of thing I'd look for if I wanted to do geomagnetic work in this area. I don't know if anyone does want to do geomag ... but.
I should have said - taking samples for geomagnetic research typically involve drilling a short (2cm) core of rock (~2cm diameter) out of the exposure - several times. The trace fossils of the working geomagnetism researcher are very distinctive.
Interesting.. Michigan has a state gemstone made of pumpellyite and also had an almost continental rift as well.. I also find a lot of rocks that look somewhat similar to those you have.. Just interesting to me
That’s so cool! I’ve read a bit on the rifts in the usa and I’ll be covering a lot more US content soon so I’ll take a look into it! Thanks for letting me know! You have an amazing country full of incredible geology.
@ I think there’s a lot more to uncover than what’s been seen so far, and I do hope someone will be able to tell a good story that makes some more sense someday, maybe it will be you!!
If I recall my "shallow" metamorphism correctly, there's a whole suite of minerals - including phrenite and pumpellyite which form together under low-temperature and moderate pressure conditions - which is exactly what you would get in a rift that fails. (If the rift "succeeds", the rocks continue going down and pass from the phrenite-pumpellyite zone into the "blueschist" zone, then down further into hotter, higher pressure rocks for chlorite-, then mica-, then garnet- schists. And then you're full-on into the field of metamorphic petrology (16 hours a week for 2 years of your degree).