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Westcliffe and Silver Cliff Meteorite Craters, Further Evidence of Extinction Level Event
ASTROBLEME
post Mar 26 2016, 04:54 PM
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Greetings Everyone,

I am announcing this discovery as a long time contributor to the Colorado Prospector Forum and want to make sure that other members have access to this information. After initiating a research effort in 2005, I have been able to collect substantial evidence to support a double meteorite impact located in Custer County, Colorado. The Westcliffe Crater is the larger structure while the Silver Cliff Crater is smaller and both are named for the towns nearby. All my work has been done independently and at my own cost.

This previously unrecognized double crater structure is paired with my discovery of the Gunnison Crater. All 3 impacts occurred 360 to 375 million years ago. These impact craters are further evidence supporting the Tonko Lineament that recognizes the serial impacts across the United States aligning on the 38th Parallel. The crater chain and associated fish fossil records I have researched indicate a Devonian mass extinction event where 70% of life on our planet was eliminated. Along with hyper-velocity geologic evidence in the target zone, I have also recovered two meteorite types that are in the early process of classification.

Peak Ring Image of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff Craters
Attached Image


Westcliffe Meteorite (photo with light sourced to highlight metal inclusions but chondrules are still visible)

Attached Image


Silver Cliff Meteorite

Attached Image


Sincerely,

Johnny Tonko



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"Some day this crater is going to be a greatly talked about place, and if the above credit is due, as is certainly the case, I would like to have it generally known for the sake of the children." Daniel Moreau Barringer 2/1/1912 in a letter about the Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona USA
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johnnybravo300
post Mar 26 2016, 10:01 PM
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It looks like the Gunnison crater is in the Hartman's Rocks area? I'm familiar with that area. I knew there was a ring around Hartman's, so is that related? I thought it was volcanic.


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ASTROBLEME
post Mar 26 2016, 10:44 PM
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QUOTE (johnnybravo300 @ Mar 26 2016, 11:01 PM) *
It looks like the Gunnison crater is in the Hartman's Rocks area? I'm familiar with that area. I knew there was a ring around Hartman's, so is that related? I thought it was volcanic.


Hartman Rocks is the peak ring on the NE side of Gunnison Crater. The multi-ring dike structure was buried by the volcanic activity. You can find more information on Gunnison Crater here...

Visit My Website

and also there is lots of information on this forum at...

Colorado Prospector Gunnison Crater Tektite



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Tonko Mining Company

"Some day this crater is going to be a greatly talked about place, and if the above credit is due, as is certainly the case, I would like to have it generally known for the sake of the children." Daniel Moreau Barringer 2/1/1912 in a letter about the Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona USA
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James and Cyndi
post Mar 27 2016, 08:02 AM
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Quite extraordinary!!! Thanks for sharing.


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johnnybravo300
post Mar 27 2016, 07:24 PM
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Wow what an awesome read. Makes perfect sense. The book "geology of Gunnison county" said it was a ring dike but it wasn't very clear. A ring dike out of no where.
This makes much more sense to me. Amazing!! I love Google earth type apps.


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Crusty
post Mar 27 2016, 11:48 PM
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awesome work; thanks for sharing


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ASTROBLEME
post Mar 31 2016, 02:25 PM
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Here's a close-up view of the chondrules in the Silver Cliff meteorite.

Attached Image




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"Some day this crater is going to be a greatly talked about place, and if the above credit is due, as is certainly the case, I would like to have it generally known for the sake of the children." Daniel Moreau Barringer 2/1/1912 in a letter about the Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona USA
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Gene Kooper
post Aug 14 2016, 03:20 PM
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For Astrobleme,

On your Crater Research web page you list several references, one of which is Warme (2000). Since you didn't include the title is it, "Anatomy of an Anomaly: The Catastrophic Devonian Alamo Impact Breccia, Nevada"? Dr. Warme has collaborated with numerous authors over the years regarding the Alamo Breccia so I was curious about your cite. Thanks.

Also, for those interested in a general article on the Alamo Breccia where you don't have to purchase the full article, here's a link to a January 2004 GeoTimes article entitled, The Many Faces of the Alamo Impact Breccia written by John E. Warme.
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Caveman
post Jan 8 2017, 11:37 AM
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HOLY CRAP!!!! I just looked at this post after being away for awhile... and I LIVE just north of Mitchell Mountain.... the north side of the Westcliffe Crater! You can even see my driveway in the photo. I have lots of interesting grey rock on the property, that looks like cement (MUCH harder, though, it can scratch glass) with what looks like tiny garnets in it.... as Marty Shaw would say on Laugh In.... "Very Interesting....!" I will have to gather a few up and take photos....


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ASTROBLEME
post Feb 2 2017, 12:37 PM
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Hello Caveman,

Here's a photo of a field specimen of Wescliffe Crater impact breccia. If you have collected some material that looks like concrete, test it with dilute hydrochloric acid (sold in hardware stores as muriatic acid). The breccia will show a strong reaction by bubbling and frothing that indicates the rock has carbonate chemistry. Some of the white cement type rocks inside the ring are so reactive that they will bubble in vinegar! What these concrete looking specimens preserve is the crushing and melting of the ocean floor at impact. Fossil meteorite fragments can be found eroding from the breccia deposits.

The ancient meteorite fragments will appear to be black or deep brown in color, leap to a magnet and will be very-very-heavy as compared to other local rocks. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that you find some as your're at a very prospective location.

Good Luck!

QUOTE (Caveman @ Jan 8 2017, 10:37 AM) *
HOLY CRAP!!!! I just looked at this post after being away for awhile... and I LIVE just north of Mitchell Mountain.... the north side of the Westcliffe Crater! You can even see my driveway in the photo. I have lots of interesting grey rock on the property, that looks like cement (MUCH harder, though, it can scratch glass) with what looks like tiny garnets in it.... as Marty Shaw would say on Laugh In.... "Very Interesting....!" I will have to gather a few up and take photos....




Attached Image


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"Some day this crater is going to be a greatly talked about place, and if the above credit is due, as is certainly the case, I would like to have it generally known for the sake of the children." Daniel Moreau Barringer 2/1/1912 in a letter about the Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona USA
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Caveman
post Feb 3 2017, 08:50 AM
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QUOTE (ASTROBLEME @ Feb 2 2017, 11:37 AM) *
Hello Caveman,

Here's a photo of a field specimen of Wescliffe Crater impact breccia. If you have collected some material that looks like concrete, test it with dilute hydrochloric acid (sold in hardware stores as muriatic acid). The breccia will show a strong reaction by bubbling and frothing that indicates the rock has carbonate chemistry. Some of the white cement type rocks inside the ring are so reactive that they will bubble in vinegar! What these concrete looking specimens preserve is the crushing and melting of the ocean floor at impact. Fossil meteorite fragments can be found eroding from the breccia deposits.

The ancient meteorite fragments will appear to be black or deep brown in color, leap to a magnet and will be very-very-heavy as compared to other local rocks. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that you find some as your're at a very prospective location.

Good Luck!





Attached Image


That looks a lot like what we have here on the property. thumbsupsmileyanim.gif


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ASTROBLEME
post Feb 9 2017, 07:23 PM
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Hello Caveman,

I'm sure you'll want to go looking for meteorites in your backyard. The "concrete looking" rock is where there iron stone meteorites are eroding from. The white carbonate impact breccia contains many rounded inclusions that are welded together. Those spherules cannot be seen in a field specimen but a proper cut and polish will reveal their true nature.

Here are a couple of photos I've prepared to help you in a search.

First is a pic of the polished slice of the "concrete looking" rock. Take notice of the rust colored staining.

Attached Image


The close-up microscope image below shows the details of weathering of the tiny iron rock fragments from space that created the crater.


Attached Image


I hope you can find something.

Sincerely,

ASTROBLEME








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"Some day this crater is going to be a greatly talked about place, and if the above credit is due, as is certainly the case, I would like to have it generally known for the sake of the children." Daniel Moreau Barringer 2/1/1912 in a letter about the Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona USA
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Caveman
post Feb 13 2017, 03:06 PM
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There is quite a bit that looks like that on the property... just darker grey, and looks to have tiny garnets in it. When the snow is gone, I will look for some and post some pics.


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ASTROBLEME
post Mar 4 2017, 05:59 PM
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Exciting News...

Having received results from lab analysis, it appears that the meteorite fragments may be from Mars! I've overlain my results for 2 crater specimens over a 2009 graph from McSween et al along with new data from the first Curiosity Rover sampling of a rock named Jake M displayed in yellow as JM samples.

Attached Image


A quick check of some rover images reveals a remarkable similarity for Silver Cliff specimens as compared to what was discovered near the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's landing site. The sphere-like grains and inclusions were called "blueberries" by NASA scientists. They are actually gray in color.


Attached Image


ASTROBLEME


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"Some day this crater is going to be a greatly talked about place, and if the above credit is due, as is certainly the case, I would like to have it generally known for the sake of the children." Daniel Moreau Barringer 2/1/1912 in a letter about the Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona USA
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johnnybravo300
post Mar 4 2017, 10:21 PM
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Those two look identical to the eye.
So it is a rock broken off of Mars by other meteors which traveled to earth and impacted as the one big meteor that created the crater? It was originally part of one huge meteor, but it was native to Mars? Haha sounds confusing. What the heck is causing the texture on those rocks?


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