Gypsum, gypsum everywhere…

Big changes – and big news – since you last stopped by this blog: positively dashing down towards the flatter ground, like an ocean-crazed kid running down a grassy slope towards the beach, Oppy has driven 50 metres (yes, fifty!) further on down the northern end of Cape York, and now finds herself in a fascinating place which must surely have the mission scientists drooling. Take a look at what Oppy drove over before stopping…

…and in 3D…

Yes… yes, it is… another light-toned vein of mineral… almost certainly another Homestake…! Oppy isn’t even on the “shore” of Cape York yet, but it looks like she’s already surrounded by veins of gypsum, just what she came to this part of the Cape to look for.

Here’s a mosaic I’ve made showing the vioew ahead of and around Oppy…

Now, I’ve circled the features I *hink* might eb Homestake-like veins of lighter, harder mineral… you’ll probably need to click on the next image to kick-off the animation…

Wow…!!! At first glance those all seem like very small, narrow, veins, and Oppy is, remember, on the hunt for much larger veins, veins big enough to slap her instruments down on and analyse properly, but this has to be a good sign! aybe when the first colour images come back they’ll show something like this…

Looking forward to those! In the meantime, where are we now..?

And what next? Well, Oppy will surely now make her way along the northern edge of Cape York towards “Whim Creek”, and then south back down Cape York towards the Tribulation hills, looking for beautiful gypsum deposits as she goes…

Check back soon, I’m sure there’ll be more to see before too long…!