Zeolites in Antarctic soils: Examples from Coombs Hills and Marble Point

The distribution of zeolites in rocks and soils of the McMurdo Sound region is reviewed and two new occurrences are described, One of these is in the Coombs Hills where mordenite derived from hyaloclastic rocks is found in soils formed from till. The other is of phillipsite, found at Marble Point in a bedded formation which appears to have been formed by ash falling into an ice-dammed lake. It is likely that authigenic zeolites may be more widely distributed in Antarctica soils than is currently recognised.