There is a footpath that will lead
you to the site or alternatively, you may walk along the shoulder
for more level footing. However, the terrain at GZ can be tricky
and will likely become slippery in certain weather
conditions.
It is also located near a fast moving water source so
keeping a close eye on children is a must.
During the precambrian era (500 million years ago) the
Canadian Shield was formed ,caused by the convergence of two
techtonic plates.This action forced the granite surface rocks into
the interior of the earth where they melted, and rose close to the
surface, cooling at a slow rate. The resulting rock is gneiss, an
igneous rock.
- Gneiss - Coarse-grained granular rock with alternating
bands of light (quartz and feldspar) and dark (biotite and
hornblende) minerals. Produced by high-grade metamorphic
conditions.
- Granite- Common intrusive igneous rock. It is coarse-grained
and is composed of the mineral, feldspar, quartz and biotite and
muscovite mica. It has high silica content and occurs only in
continental crust. Granites are light-colored, usually in grays and
pinks, their color being determined by the color of the feldspar in
the granite. Darker granites and even green granite are
known.
Granite is very hard and dense. It can be readily cut into very
large blocks and it takes an extremely high polish. Weathered
granite, by comparison, crumbles easily. When granite is weathered
and eroded, the feldspar and mica break down into clay minerals,
leaving the very resistant quartz grains behind. Most beach sand is
composed of quartz grains derived from granite.
At the posted coordinates you will discover a granite vein
exposed within metamorphic rock Typically, the slower that magma
cools the larger the crystal particles created will be. This vein
is A great tactile example of Mother Nature at work.
While glacial erosion of the last ice age, 2.5 mllion years ago,
has played a role, exposing and shaping the rock to it's current
state, there are other ongoing factors to consider.
Physical or Mechanical weathering:
Thermal :
Extreme heat, from the sun’s rays to the hot summer
temperatures, cause the rock to expand. Likewise colder
temperatures cause these same rocks to contract. These movements
alter the integrity of the granite causing stress and eventual
breakdown.
Exfoliation or Unloading :
The overlying rock has put on tremendous pressure to the underlying
rock. Once that pressure is released, the surface rocks expand and
fracture parallel to the surface in flat sheets
Frost wedging :
Moisture captured in fissures and crevices freeze and thaw
repeatedly fracturing the rock into angular pieces
Chemical weathering.
Dissolution:
Dissolution changes rock formations by removing the minerals that
are soluble. Some minerals dissolve in water and can be carried
further downstream where they may be deposited as they precipitate
or crystallize.
Oxidation:
Certain rocks can ‘rust’. Iron bearing minerals weather
and produce iron oxides. Other iron bearing silicates containing
aluminum can also undergo oxidation and hydrolysis which forms iron
oxides and clay materials.
Hydrolysis:
Hydrolysis is the process that feldspar
undergoes and is weathered to form clay. Nearly all the common
rocks of the Earths crust will weather to form clay with the
exception of quartz. (Clays make up nearly half the sedimentary
rocks on Earth)
Biological Weathering
Lichen:
Lichen grow on the rock secreting an acid which dissolves the
minerals in the rock leaving crevices. This facilitates the
physical weathering mentioned above.
Vegetation:
In addition to lichen created acids, other vegetation create acids
as they decay along with animal carcasses.
In order to log this cache please
answer the following questions via our profile: If you would like a
reply to your answers, be sure to select the 'include your email
address' option with your message.
1) How long is the prominent vein?
2) What kind of weathering has occurred at this spot to create
this formation?
3) Why has this vein been left virtually untouched?
4) At N44 48.195 W79 43.351 is an additional geological feature.
What does it look like to you?
5) What do you think caused this child sized feature?