Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Head of Ground Water of the South Kalimantan Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Agency Ali Mustofa said that the soil here contains unique and rare rock, one of which is plagiogranite found on Mount Batu Besar Mentewe, Tanah Bumbu District.
"It is said to be rare, because based on data it is only in Athens, Greece, and France," he said in a conversation with Antara News Kalsel journalist who was with Dangsanak Geopark Meratus's visit to Mandingin, a few days ago.
He pointed out that it must be confirmed through research if it is definitely plagiogranite. If true, then Indonesia is the third country that has the type of rock.
An expert, Professor Ibrahim Komoo had conducted a varification and reviewed South Kalimantan for four days related to Meratus Geopark to go to the UNESCO Global Geopark (UGG). He had done a series of studies and said that the rocks lead to plagiogranite.
"Hopefully it is true, and there is a world heritage of great value," he added, while mentioning that this happened because of geological processes since 180 million years ago. There was no Java, no human life yet at that time, he said with a smile.
The earth of South Kalimantan with its Meratus Mountains is very rich in the legacy of events of the earth. "This is very suitable if registered with UGG," he said again.
Related news: Meratus meets criteria to gain UNESCO Global Geopark status: geologist
He also said that the rocks on Langgara Hill, Loksado, HSS, are among the oldest types of limestone in Meratus which was formed since the limestone era. Early limestone is a rock formed in the sea as a result of deposition of marine animal of orbitulina type.
This stone had been formed since the Australia continent plate moved against Sunda land plate and is now in the environment together with the Meratus ophiolite .
In the Kembang River green/blue schist rocks were also found. They were formed as a result of the subduction of plates at the beginning of the formation of Meratus, thus the presence of these rocks could served as fossils of a subduction that occurred 180 million years ago (late yura period).
Meanwhile, what unique is that there are type of trees that grow naturally on serpentinite stone in the Mandiangin People's Forest Park (geosite Tahura Mandiangin) the type of bangkal and setarap that are only able to survive tens to hundreds years on thin soil onserpentinite of Tahura Mandiangin so that the growth rate is low.
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