Geologists prospecting for gold in Western Australia discovered a rare meteorite impact structure, now temporarily named the Ora Banda impact structure.

Western Australia, Eastern Goldfields

Who

geologists, Raiza Quintero of the University of Puerto Rico

What

When

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 02:34:32 GMT · 2h 34m ago

Where

Western Australia, Eastern Goldfields ·

Why

A routine survey for gold revealed a peculiar circular anomaly in gravity data, leading to the discovery of an ancient meteorite impact.

The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

The discovery of the Ora Banda impact structure, only the second confirmed to have formed entirely within Archaean greenstone, offers a rare opportunity to study how meteorite impacts interact with Earth's oldest surviving rocks and could provide insights into early Mars. This finding highlights the potential for other hidden impact structures in greenstone formations worldwide.

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Verified Sources & Citations

ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/geologists-went-looking-for-gold-they-found-something-far-rarer
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