Uluru 300 million age giant

Tish

Tish

SF VIP
Location
Rural N.S.W. Australia
In the heart of Australia’s vast Outback stands Uluru. It's a colossal sandstone monolith older than the Alps and larger than Monaco. Rising taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza, Uluru is more than just a rock; it's a sacred site, a remnant of ancient mountains, and a beacon of life in the desert.

 

That was an education for me, Tish, I have always
understood that Uluru was solid iron ore, I don't
know where I got that information, probably from
an Australian that I worked with and there were a
lot over the years, I did though wonder why it is the
colour of sandstone, when iron ore, is dark brown.

Still interesting though, thank you.

Mike.
 
Mike said:
That was an education for me, Tish, I have always
understood that Uluru was solid iron ore, I don't
know where I got that information, probably from
an Australian that I worked with and there were a
lot over the years, I did though wonder why it is the
colour of sandstone, when iron ore, is dark brown.

Still interesting though, thank you.

Mike.
Click to expand...
I dare say, I think he was pulling your leg 😆
Although there is a supposed curse on taking a rock from it.
 
Tish said:
In the heart of Australia’s vast Outback stands Uluru. It's a colossal sandstone monolith older than the Alps and larger than Monaco. Rising taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza, Uluru is more than just a rock; it's a sacred site, a remnant of ancient mountains, and a beacon of life in the desert.

Click to expand...
I enjoyed that. Thanks.
 
Mike said:
That was an education for me, Tish, I have always
understood that Uluru was solid iron ore, I don't
know where I got that information, probably from
an Australian that I worked with and there were a
lot over the years, I did though wonder why it is the
colour of sandstone, when iron ore, is dark brown.

Still interesting though, thank you.

Mike.
Click to expand...
On a technical note Uluru is actually the remnant of a sandstone stratum that was subjected to massive forces that caused the once horizontal layers to become deformed and folded. Heat caused the sand grains to partially melt and fuse together to become the much harder rock known as quartzite. You can clearly see the layers dipping down into the earth. For some reason, Uluru survived the weathering process which probably means that the metamorphosis involved something local, perhaps a volcanic event that further affected the sand grains.

A more detailed, but relatively simple explanation of how Uluru was formed can be found here:-

How Uluru formed over millions of years

I've visited The Rock, as we used to call it, twice in my lifetime. It is truly an amazing sight, changing colour throughout the day. On the rare days when rain falls, it is wondrous. The first time I was one of four teachers taking some 43 teenage girls on an outback bus tour tour during the school holidays. We camped in tents quite close by and had dingos roaming through our campsite.

Back then it was customary for visitors to climb Uluru and we teachers accompanied 40 of the girls on the climb leaving the three who were reluctant in the care of the bus driver and the tour cook. It was exhilarating and an unforgettable experience. Today, out of respect for the indigenous custodians of Uluru, climbing is no longer permitted.

@Mike, it isn't hard to think that Uluru is rich in iron ore because it does appear to be very red during certain times of the day. It can also appear a lovely shade of violet at other times, but it is just reflecting different frequencies of the sun's radiation.
 
Warrigal said:
Rabbit Proof Fence is an important real life story that needed to be told.
I have never viewed Tracks.
Click to expand...
I learned a lot about the Outback, walkabouts, and Australia's camels from that movie. Liked it so well that I've seen it twice.

Aussie writer Jane Harper is one of my favorite authors - I'm hoping she comes out with a new novel soon.
 
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