The composition of spherules and other features on shatter cone surfaces from the Vredefort structure, South Africa

Abstract

Minute spherules and other glassy objects have been found on the surfaces of shatter cones in the sedimentary rocks forming the collar around the Vredefort ring structure. The composition of twenty-five of these spherules was determined using an energy-dispersive X-ray analysis system attached to a scanning electron microscope. These results show that spherules can be classified into a Si-, Al-rich variety, an Fe-rich variety and an intermediate variety. At first, the origin of the spherules appeared enigmatic: we considered that they could have been of organic origin; that they may represent dust or fly ash particles due to atmospheric pollution; or that they may result from processes operating during shatter cone formation. For analytical and logical reasons, we argue that the first two possible modes of origin can be discounted. Instead, it is suggested that the spherules result from melts generated by friction on the host rock surfaces during the formation of shatter cones. The variations in composition of the individual spherules may indicate selective melting of different parts of the rock surface or that the melts may have been affected by liquid immiscibility processes. This argument is reinforced by the striking analogy between the particles discussed here and those found in lunar samples.