Rock Walk Park Earth Cache
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Rock Walk Earth Cache
Take a walk in the Rock Walk Park, the only rock park of its kind in the world.
Northern Ontario has a long history of mining. Gold, silver, nickel, copper, iron, uranium, zinc, and most recently diamonds are mined in various areas throughout the region. Driving along the highways of Northern Ontario, one can see a variety of rock formations, from sedimentary layers, to the massive rockcuts further north. Erratics, which are huge boulders deposited by the action of glaciers dot the landscape, and illustrate the power of the movement of ice and water.
Near where Highways 11 and 66 intersect, at the small community of Kenogami, is an interesting geological formation and the resultant rock to be found here is called conglomerate. The focus of this earthcache is the “conglomerates”.
Conglomerates are formed when pebbles, gravel or small boulders are deposited typically through the action of a rapid out-flowing of water, and over time become cemented together with a finer matrix of rock. Tillites are formed similarly, but through the action of ice. The term “conglomerate” was so widely used by the early prospectors that the term is retained for local use. Breccia is fragmental rock in which the fragments are angular broken pieces, often fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle. Essentially, such a rock-type results from the weathering of the older basement rocks. The broken material lying around on the ancient weathered surface gets incorporated by pressure and cement.
At first glance, these rocks appear similar, but on closer inspection, are quite different.
Unfortunately, stopping on the highway is not safe and therefore strongly discouraged. But by going into Haileybury, a little further south, off Highway 11, one can take a leisurely stroll to have a close look at some samples of conglomerates as well as other rocks and ores to be found in Northern Ontario at the Rock Walk Park. To find the information for this Earthcache, you will need to go to the Rock Walk Park. There is no admission and the park is accessible year round.
RockWalk Park is an outdoor geological garden designed to provide a park-like setting located in Haileybury, Ontario, located beside the internationally known Haileybury School of Mines. The park originated as an idea of Paul Bateman, a teacher at the Haileybury School of Mines, back in 1991, but it wasn’t until 1997 that a committee from the surrounding community was formed to put the idea into practice.
On display are large samples of ore collected from mines across the country. The collection illustrates rock-types, including unusual specimens, and gem/semi-precious specimens. Most of the rock samples are mounted on limestone pedestals and are accompanied by plaques explaining the type and source of the specimen. The display is arranged by theme along wheelchair accessible brick pathways.
A key feature of the park is the inclusion of cultural displays depicting the role that rocks and minerals have played through human history. The exhibits are arranged according to theme throughout the park. The tour brochure, available at the entrance to the park, will guide you along the wheelchair accessible brick pathways and information plaques help identify the displays.
To log this cache you will need a digital camera, and a tape measure or ruler.
Take a picture and post it, of you and your GPSr in front of the rock at the posted co-ordinates.
E-mail me the answers to the next four questions.
1. What kind of rock is it? To whom is it significant?
2. Find samples LRT#4G and LRT#4C in the Rock Walk Park, and compare them. What do you notice about the size and shape of the clasts?
3. Measure 3 of the clasts in each sample and give an average size.
4. Which one is conglomerate, and which is breccia?
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