Birth of a boulder!

Posted by Maxine (Rangiora, New Zealand) on 5 October 2008 in Landscape & Rural.

Emerging from the cliff,as if being born from the earth the world famous Moeraki Boulders are septerian concretions formed some 65 million years ago.Crystallisation of calcium and carbonate around charged particles in muddy undersea sediments formed the boulders in a process taking as long as 4 million years!The soft mudstone containing the boulders was raised from the sea bed around 15 million years ago, and sea erosion is exposing the erosion resistant boulders. Here is one being exposed from the cliff face. PUSH!!!! Oh by the way, that is Richard catching the moment! We had been to a funeral and were in good clobber but could not resist stopping to see the boulders as the tide was ideal.

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