At 0.4km2 (40 ha) and up to 75m deep Pitch Lake is the largest natural surface deposit of asphalt in
At 0.4km2 (40 ha) and up to 75m deep Pitch Lake is the largest natural surface deposit of asphalt in the world. Located at La Brea, southwest Trinidad, Pitch Lake is mined for asphalt by Lake Asphalt of Trinidad and Tobago as well as attracting around 20,000 tourists to the site each year.Pitch Lake is believed by geologists to sit at the intersection of two faults linked with regional subduction under the Caribbean Plate. Oil from a deep deposit is forced upwards along the faults to the surface; lighter oil molecules evaporate leaving behind the thicker, heavier molecules such as bitumen.Interestingly this place isn’t void of life, researchers have identified an active extremophile microbiological ecosystem, which grow on the available asphaltenes as a sole carbon energy source.-Matt JPhoto and more info:http://www.richard-seaman.com/Travel/TrinidadAndTobago/Trinidad/PitchLake/Alternative post by TEL:http://on.fb.me/1uRRmAX -- source link
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