The discovery of a 4km-diameter meteorite impact crater in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields has sparked excitement and intrigue. Named the 'Ora Banda impact structure', this site is located near the historic gold mining district of Ora Banda, which is fittingly named for its proximity to gold. The crater's target rocks, ancient greenstones, are metamorphosed volcanic rocks like basalt, and they contain gold, adding to the site's allure. The impact was accidentally discovered during exploration drilling for gold, and the scientific process to confirm the site involved documenting diagnostic evidence, including shatter cones, shocked quartz, and extra-terrestrial meteorite residue. The discovery of these unique features, along with the presence of gold, suggests that the impact event rained gold onto the surface, making it a truly unique geologic setting. With 34 confirmed meteorite impact craters across Australia, ranging in age from a few thousand years to 2.2 billion years old, the Ora Banda structure adds to the rich geological history of the continent.
