'John Klein' site selected for Curiosity's debut drill

This annotated view, captured on January 10, shows the patch of veined, flat-lying rock known as "John Klein" where drilling will soon commence, as seen by the rover's Mast Camera telephoto lens.

The area is rich with geologic detail and features of interest, says NASA. Fractures and veins, along with small, spherical concentrations of minerals called concretions will all be of interest to Curiosity's spinning drill. The scale bar on the left image is 19.7 inches long, with the three enlarged areas on the right highlighting sections about 4 inches across.

Enlargement A shows a high concentration of ridge-like veins protruding above the surface. Some of the veins have two walls and an eroded interior. Enlargement B shows that in some portions of this feature, there is a horizontal discontinuity a few centimeters or inches beneath the surface. The discontinuity may be a bed, a fracture, or potentially a horizontal vein. Enlargement C shows a hole developed in the sand that overlies a fracture, implying infiltration of sand down into the fracture system.