rochechouart impactite
Rochechouart impactite refers to the unique rocks formed from the impact of a meteorite in the region of Rochechouart, France, approximately 207 million years ago during the Late Triassic period. This impact created what is now known as the Rochechouart impact structure or astrobleme, which spans across parts of the Haute-Vienne and Charente departments. The impactites found here are a mix of breccias, where fragments of the original rock (both crystalline bedrock and melt rock) are fused together, showcasing the intense conditions of temperature and pressure from the impact event. These rocks include suevite, a type of impact breccia with a matrix that contains both rock fragments and melt particles, and other types like monomict breccias and impact melt rocks. Recognized for their scientific value in studying shock metamorphism and the geological history of Earth, Rochechouart impactites are also of interest to collectors and researchers for their role in understanding impact cratering processes on our planet.