Mud volcanoes bring all sorts of geological wonders but at the L'Envieusse mud volcanoes at Galfa Point in the southwestern peninsula of Trinidad, one can find nuggets of sparkling crystallised mineral treasures which resemble gold!
During a visit to the site on Tuesday, Guardian Media's intrepid team found an abundance of mineralised crystals glistening in the sun, tucked beneath the freshly extruded mud off the Columbus Bay. The area has rocks dating more than eight million years old. The sandstone cliffs are battered daily by the force of the winds while sargassum seaweed and jellyfish litter the expanse of the beach.
Amidst the rocks, the mineralised treasure has been identified as iron pyrite, also called Fool's Gold. The mineral pyrite is an iron sulfide which can be used as a gemstone. Pyrite is considered the most common of the sulfide minerals. It's metallic lustre and pale brass-yellow hue gives it a superficial resemblance to gold.
Cedros tour guide Edward Marcelle said the L'Envieusse volcano was another of T&T's hidden wonders which if properly marketed could boost tourism.
Marcelle, who was born and raised in Cedros, said Galfa Point always had the crystals. After the August 22 earthquake, he said the volcano rose up along the beach bringing up a multitude of treasured stones and crystals. Calling it a geologist playground, Marcelle said he was convinced that Galfa was filled with pre-Columbian artefacts, rocks which were millions of years old as well as pyrite which could be marketed abroad.
"Very few people know how to get here and those that do come pick up the crystals to use as pendants," Marcelle said. He explained that the sea has been cutting into the land and taking back much of the volcanic dirt.
Similar to the expulsions of the other volcanoes, Galfa's volcanic dirt is sticky and once balled, it tends to get very hard. Along the Columbus beach, stones which appeared to be baked were strewn around. These, we were told, are called porcellanite—a naturally occurring baked clay often found at headlands in the south-west peninsula. Pebbles in a multitude of colours such as red, yellow, orange, white, grey, black and even spotted littered the beachfront. Some of the stones were holey and appeared to look like corals.
Marcelle said in the days gone by, Galfa was known for chip chip, a family to the oyster and clam.
"Things have changed because of coastal erosion. Here the winds are very strong. It is the Southeast Eastern Trade winds and it is an ideal place to set up a wind farm that can power the entire peninsula," Marcelle said. He said the sea currents bring with it remnants from the South American mainland of Venezuela, which is seven miles away from Icacos.
"This is the place to start with our renewables. Cedros has so many natural wonders that could bring in foreign exchange but instead all we have is the dying coconut industry and dwindling fishing," he added.
He said the "golden" stones last very long once they are polished.
In an article titled Minerals Associated with Gold, it was stated that Fool's Gold is often found near actual gold deposits and serves as a sign that real gold is close at hand.
Iron, lead, pyrite, and magnetite were identified as heavier metals and minerals that are often associated with the location of gold deposits. This is because such metals, rocks, and minerals are formed around gold veins which then break off and spread away from the gold itself.
"Such heavy minerals and metals offer a clue that gold just may be around the corner. You can often find this pyrite in creek beds while panning for gold. If you find it, take heart that while it is not real gold, you may actually find gold nearby," the article said. (http://howtofindgoldnuggets.com/minerals-associated-natural-gold/)
Meanwhile, councillor for Cedros Shankar Teelucksingh said the area was also lucrative for local and international tourism based on the natural wonders seen from the Chatham to Icacos coastline.
"Those areas are rich in Ameridian artefacts. The American occupation of Greenhill and Galfa presents a part of history that should be preserved. He agreed that renewable energy can be generated from the Galfa Point.
"Based on the constant speed of the wind, we can generate electricity using wind and solar turbines. We can have an eco-clean environment. That area can put the peninsula on the grid," Teelucksingh said. He also added that the recent oil finds at the Los Gallos and Icacos areas prove that the peninsula is rich in hydrocarbons.
"Apart from the volcanoes, the area could produce lucrative fields. There are 15 wells in operation right now which produce 1,800 barrels of crude per day," Teelucksingh revealed.
Gold or no gold?
So apart from oil, could the peninsula also produce gold?
Unfortunately, senior geoscientist at Touchstone Exploration Xavier Moonan said there were no chances of gold being found in the Galfa area where the crystals sparkle.
"We have faults but we lack magmatic or volcanic rocks. Gold, diamonds and other precious gems are typically found within volcanic intrusions like dykes and sills. Venezuela and Guyana have those types of volcanic rocks within the Guiana Shield," Moonan said.
The geoscientist who has been doing extensive research on the country's expansive geological sites said the southern coast of Galfa Point is one of the most intriguing spots in T&T.
"Galfa is unique in that the mudflow and faults are exposed at the cliff and being eroded away. Other mud volcanoes along coastal areas in Trinidad are further inland and so protected from wave erosion, so, unfortunately, their mud flow treasures aren't being readily exposed," he explained.
He said the rocks at Galfa exposed in small outcrops scattered throughout the area, get progressively older from north to south.
"The rocks along the cliffs at Bonasse are about two to three million years old while those at Galfa Point are closer to eight million years old. The rocks at Bonasse are found dipping gently to the north while those at Galfa dip steeply to the south. This all suggests, that you have journey up and atop an anticline or hill," Moonan said.
Though small traces of pyrite have been found at other mud volcano sites, Moonan explained there was probably more pyrite at Galfa since the waves were actively eroding away the faults and rocks, leaving behind the more resistant pyrite crystals.
He said there were many creative uses of pyrite that locals can tap into especially in the craft industry. The Southern Anticline presents more geological wonders other than the pyrite, he added.
Saying the Southern Anticline extends from the Pedernales oilfield just across the waters of the Serpents Mouth in the Orinoco delta region of Venezuela to the southwestern peninsula, Moonan said, "The axis of this anticline is marked by the occurrence of many mud volcanoes and oil and gas accumulations. These mud volcanoes tend to form small pools and are collectively called the L'Envieusse mud volcanoes, and include the Columbia Estate mud volcano which erupted in 1966 and Lam Vierge mud volcano."
During one of the more recent oil exploration campaigns in the peninsula, conducted by Trinidad Exploration and Development (TED), Moonan said the core of the anticline was drilled.
"TED drilled the Habanero-1 well near the crest of the Southern Anticline in 2005 to a depth of around 8,000 feet. The well drilled into the core of the Southern Anticline, encountering repeated mud flow layers and faults which likely feed some of the current mud volcanoes in the area," he revealed.
Moonan said the core of the Southern Anticline is exposed in the small cliff sections at Galfa Point on the south coast.
"Here, geologists observe a general cross-section of a mud volcano. Transported along faults, boulders of sandstone and limestones are entrained in mud being extruded at the coast. The sea cuts into the mudflow, washing away the mud, leaving behind these exotic blocks of rock that geologically should not be on the surface," he explained.
With regard to the pyrite, Moonan said crystalised Fool's gold deposit is a telltale sign of the presence of faults.
"Pyrite tends to precipitate out of hot subsurface fluids as they travel under pressure along faults. With pyrite littering the beach, and boulders of almost every rock formation in Trinidad, Galfa Point is a geological haven, not for gold hunting, but it is a great playground to go rock or fossil hunting," he added.