Mistastin crater, Impact crater lake in Labrador, Canada
Mistastin crater is a roughly circular impact structure about 17 miles (28 kilometers) in diameter, containing a large lake with a horseshoe-shaped island representing the central uplift typical of complex craters.
The crater formed approximately 36 million years ago during the Eocene Epoch when a small iron meteorite struck Precambrian rocks, generating temperatures exceeding 4,300 degrees Fahrenheit (2,370 degrees Celsius) and creating extensive melt rocks.
The site is located within the traditional hunting grounds of the Mushuau Innu First Nation near the Quebec border, and visiting requires permission out of respect for the cultural significance of the region.
Access to the crater requires preparation for remote wilderness conditions and rugged terrain, and visitors should arrange permission with the Mushuau Innu First Nation before traveling to this isolated Labrador location.
The impact generated the hottest crustal temperatures ever recorded in nature, transforming zircon minerals into cubic zirconia and providing scientists with natural evidence of extreme heat conditions comparable to planetary impacts.
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