Uluru Formation

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Classification The formation of Uluru started to occur 550 million years ago. 500 million years ago the whole area was covered in water. Approximately 400 million years ago, the sea began to disappear and the whole of central Australia began to shift due to massive forces. Over the last 300 million years, the weaker rocks have eroded away leaving parts of the old sediment exposed. The area around Uluru was covered with lone sand dunes in a windy environment 30,000 years ago. The depression in the earth’s crust formed about 900 million years ago, and received layer upon layer of sediment. This report will explain the geological formation and the geological age of Uluru. The geological formation timeline spans from 500-900 million years, however…show more content…
Geographical speaking it is close to the centre of Australia. Uluru is also close to another northern territory landmark called Kata Tjuta it is a group of large domed rock formations located about 365 km southwest of Alice Springs. Surrounding Landscape Uluru is in located in flat desert land where the average rainfall yearly is less than 300 millimetres, the most common group of trees are the acacias. There are over 400 different plants at Uluru and many have a significant cultural meaning as there were used as food, medicine, tools and weapons There is a plant called spinifex or Tjanpi it's grass that grows to two metres high and spreads out about three metres. It provides a home for the native animals and can be used to make glue. The soil in the surrounding landscape of Uluru is red due to the fact that over time it has rusted because of the iron content in the material. 862.5 metres above sea level 348 metres high 3.6 km long 1.9 km wide 9.4 km around the base Covers 3.33…show more content…
The alluvial fans of arkose and conglomerate were at least 2.5km thick and were gradually covered by sand and mud and the remains of sea creatures. The overlying sediment deposits compressed and cemented the Uluru arkosic sand into arkose and the coarse gravels of Kata Tjuta into conglomerate. The sea receded between 400 and 300 million years ago and the rocks were folded and fractured. This second major folding is called the Alice Springs Orogeny. It raised the region above sea level. The horizontal layers of the Uluru arkose were folded and turned nearly 90 degrees to their present position. The Kata Tjuta conglomerates were tilted only about 15 to 20 degrees from the horizontal. The sand rocks at the surface eroded rapidly. This erosion still continues now at a slower rate. A broad valley developed between the two rocks at around 65 million years ago and was partly filled with river sands and swamp deposits, including thin layers of coal. At that time the climate was wet. Only during the past 500,000 years has the climate became drier and a thin blanket of wind-blown sand covered the sediments. (Geology,

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