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79 Views 3 Replies Last post: Aug 10, 2018 10:21 AM by Dr T

TM

Currently Being Moderated

Aug 8, 2018 11:05 PM

A wall, built by nature?

Walking towards it, I had the view in picture 1.  From a distance those lines on the face of the wall made it almost look like it was built from bricks.

But walking around it to the side reveals it's a narrow but very tall wall.

 

It seems that this is an intrusive hard rock that penetrated a softer sedimentary rock when beneath the ocean. Over geological time, it has been thrust up out of the water and the sedimentary rock has worn away, leaving this rather precarious wall.  Walking beside it, we saw it extended for many miles in both directions.

 

Do those who know about this sort of thing agree with this analysis?

 

Picture 1

Picture 2

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  Dr T

  Currently Being Moderated

  Aug 9, 2018 7:47 PM (in response to TM)

  Re: A wall, built by nature?

  Plausible but if you say where in the world this is as precisely as possible then I can see if I can find a geological map

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    TM

    Currently Being Moderated

    Aug 10, 2018 9:18 AM (in response to Dr T)

    Re: A wall, built by nature?

    It's hard to be precise but it was to the west of Cerro Pinaculo, Patagonia.

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  Dr T

  Currently Being Moderated

  Aug 10, 2018 10:21 AM (in response to TM)

  Re: A wall, built by nature?

  Hard to find details - certainly an igneous province.

   

  These may be of use:-

   

  https://scielo.conicyt.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-71062012000300001

   

  https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Geological-map-of-the-Patagonia-province-and-location-of-the-In-bearing-deposits_fig1_281587527

   

  As a likely igneous intrusion it need not have been injected "beneath the ocean".  It could have been injected vertically (Dyke) during the uplift & mountain-building stage.  It could even be a rotated "Sill" (originally injected horizontally).   I expect the answer is documnted somewhere if you "dig deep & long" enough.

   

  Great photos and a great experience - thanks for posting them

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