Zebra rock of Lake Argyle
A pale siltstone with rhythmic red-brown stripes and spots of iron oxide, found around Lake Argyle and the Ord River in the East Kimberley. It is some 635 million years old or more, and how its pattern formed is still argued over.
Dated events and their evidence
- about 635,000,000 years ago mainstream
the Ranford Formation that holds zebra rock is laid down; Retallack places it in the early Ediacaran (the period began 635 million years ago), the WA Museum gives about 670 million years source - 1925 CE mainstream
C. O. G. Larcombe describes rock specimens from the Ord River for the Geological Survey of Western Australia, the earliest study of zebra rock cited by Retallack source
Where
16.3043° S, 128.7558° E
The point is Remote Island in Lake Argyle, one of four zebra rock localities sampled by Retallack (2020). Others lie around the lake, south of Kununurra; one is now under its water.
Sources
- https://doi.org/10.1080/08120099.2020.1820574
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2023.121336
- https://doi.org/10.1080/08120099008727920
- https://doi.org/10.1002/2017gc007091
- https://museum.wa.gov.au/node/633
- https://ozgeology.com/blogs/news/zebra-rock-one-of-the-rarest-rocks-on-earth
Each event carries Aion's own evidence grade (mainstream, disputed or speculative). This page repeats what the globe shows for this place.