The Pine Island Agglomerate
The Pine Island Agglomerate is an outcrop of localised rock in the bed of the Murrumbidgee River. The most likely explanation for the Agglomerate at Pine Island is that it was formed by one or more volcanic mudflows (lahars) that occurred during the formation of a volcano.
The Agglomerate at Pine Island shows several puzzling features including a variety of clasts present, which include chert, granite, quartzite, and volcanic porphyry in a medium-grained crystal and lithic matrix. The size of clasts is variable, including their size and shape ranging from angular to almost round.
The name Agglomerate comes from the Latin word Agglomerare meaning "to form into a ball”. Agglomerate is a coarse accumulation of large blocks of volcanic material that contains at least 75% Lava Bombs. A Volcanic bomb is globular mass of lava that may have been shot from the crater at a time when partly molten. These bombs were viscous at the moment of ejection and by rotation in the air acquired their shape.
Agglomerates are typically found near volcanic vents and within volcanic conduits, where they may be associated with pyroclastic or intrusive volcanic breccias. Agglomerates may contain some blocks of various Igneous Rocks. Agglomerates typically form proximally during Strombolian eruptions. Strombolian eruptions are relatively mild explosive power. Strombolian eruptions consist of ejection of incandescent cinder, lapilli, and lava bombs, to altitudes of tens of meters to hundreds of meters.
Please email the answers to the following questions to claim this cache as "Found":
Question One: How were the Agglomerates at Pine Island formed?
Question Two: What types of minerals are present in the Pine Island Agglomerate?
Question Three: Agglomerates is typically formed by what type of eruptions?
Question Four: Estimate the size of the Pine Island Agglomerate site?
Optional: Please include a photo of yourself at the GZ with your GPS in the photo.