White Smoker Hydrothermal Vent Wyoming
Brand : Jensan Scientifics LLC
- SKU:
- JPT-27043
- Condition:
- New
- Availability:
- Usually ships in 24 hours.
- Weight:
- 2.00 LBS
- Minimum Purchase:
- 1 unit
- Maximum Purchase:
- 1 unit
- Shipping:
- Calculated at Checkout
White Smoker Pipe Open Core – Ancient Lake Gosiute
This extraordinary “white smoker” hydrothermal vent pipe originates from a preserved freshwater vent system within ancient Lake Gosiute, part of the Green River Formation of Eocene-age Wyoming—a landscape frozen in time roughly 50 million years ago.
Unlike the black smokers of modern ocean floors, these continental white smokers once discharged mineral-rich fluids into the alkaline waters of Lake Gosiute. As the lake slowly evaporated, the vent’s calcite and aragonite deposits formed delicate inner linings, sometimes enclosing tiny fossil ostracodes—microscopic crustaceans that lived and died in the vent’s outflow.
The brilliant white calcite crystals in this specimen represent the final stage of mineral precipitation, capturing the moment the lake’s chemistry shifted from dynamic hydrothermal activity to still, fossilizing silence.
This specimen represents a rare convergence of volcanism, mineralogy, and paleoecology and stands as tangible evidence of Earth’s ancient hydrothermal systems preserved in sedimentary stone.
Unique Ecosystem
Both "black smokers" and "white smokers" are unique ecosystems found nowhere else on Earth. While they differ in color and elemental composition, white smokers are cooler-temperature cousins of black smokers, releasing cooler water. Freshwater lake vents contain more barium, calcium, and silicon, which give the white smokers their distinctive white "smoke" underwater.
Specifications
- Size: 65mm L x 45mm W x 30mm D
- Weight: 89 grams
What is Included
Each purchase includes a Certificate of Authenticity, a tag, and a tag stand. Please note that the photo cube is not included. This is the last specimen available in this size.
Perfect for Collectors
This is a highly unusual specimen, and it would make an essential contribution to geological collections that include information about the evolution of life. It is the last one this size!
