Lake Richmond Thrombolites, City of Rockingham, Western Australia, Australiai
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Lake Richmond Thrombolites | Lake |
| City of Rockingham | City |
| Western Australia | State |
| Australia | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
32° 17' 11'' South , 115° 42' 53'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Shoalwater | 2,963 (2015) | 0.6km |
| Rockingham | 108,022 (2017) | 1.8km |
| Safety Bay | 7,303 (2015) | 3.3km |
| East Rockingham | 211 (2015) | 4.2km |
| Hillman | 1,912 (2015) | 4.6km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Sunbury Metal Detecting Club Inc | Sunbury, Victoria | 39km |
| Mineralogical Society of Western Australia | Perth, Western Australia | 39km |
| West Australian Lapidary and Rockhunting Club | Rivervale, Western Australia | 41km |
Western Australia sometimes throws up some interesting challenges when it comes to what can be included on Mindat. What to do with structures that combine rock, plant and animal matter into the one communal organism.
Stromatolites and thrombolites are organosedimentary structures, that precipitate aragonite. Stromatolites have a laminated internal structure, while thrombolites are more clotted. They are the oldest living things in the world, and can be found in Bermuda, Bahamas and Western Australia. The largest number and most varied occurrences are found in Western Australia. The thrombolites at Lake Richmond are 3000 to 6000 years old.
The Lake Richmond variety of thrombolite is unique in species composition and structure, adapted to freshwater, as opposed to saline waters in other locations in Western Australia. The thrombolites are a complex association of photosynthetic cyanobacteria and purple sulphur bacteria, eukaryolic microalgae, and true bacteria.
Lake Richmond is one kilometre south-west of Rockingham Beach, as an elliptical lake 1 kilometre by 0.6 kilometres, 15 metres deep. It is surrounded by the Quindalup dune system, alot of which built upon with houses.
The organisms require calcite, bicarbonates and carbonates found in the lake, and the structures grow with the very slow (glacial pace) precipitation of aragonite, to form communities of thrombolites. These are found in a 15 metre wide arc around the lake edge, best seen at the eastern end of the lake.
The structures can easily be mistaken for rocks. Lake Richmond has been intensely studied and controlled, as the thrombolite community covers a total area of 3 hectares, with this type found no-where else.
List of minerals for each chemical element
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
Australia
- Western Australia
- Perth BasinBasin
- Pinjarra OrogenOrogen
Australian PlateTectonic Plate
- Darling OrogenOrogenic Belt
Indian OceanOcean
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Lake Richmond Thrombolites, City of Rockingham, Western Australia, Australia