All articles tagged with #mineralogy
Researchers have identified two previously unknown iron oxyhydroxide minerals that could store vast amounts of water deep within Earth's lower mantle. Published in Nature Geoscience, the study suggests these minerals may hold water equivalent to one to two Pacific Oceans, resolving long-standing questions about the planet's internal water cycle.
Researchers identified two new iron oxyhydroxide minerals that can trap water deep within Earth's mantle. These dense phases may store significant water near the core-mantle boundary, influencing tectonic cycles and climate regulation over geological time.
A 1952 find by a British gem dealer in Myanmar appeared ruby-like but revealed painite, a mineral so rare that for decades the worldwide supply could fit in a single museum drawer; after its 1957 description and only a handful of crystals known for fifty years, major discoveries around 2001–2006 brought thousands of painite specimens to light, turning the legendary rarity into a much more common, though still exceptionally scarce, gemstone.
NASA's Perseverance rover in Jezero Crater has identified diverse mineral and organic features in the Bright Angel formation, including potential biosignatures like organic matter, Fe-phosphate nodules, and reaction fronts, suggesting past habitable conditions and possible biological activity on Mars.
Geologists in New Mexico have discovered three new minerals—raydemarkite, virgilluethite, and stunorthropite—raising the total known mineral species to 5,998. These minerals, found at Cookes Peak, have unique properties that enhance understanding of Earth's mineral formation and have potential technological applications. The discovery highlights the importance of exploring Earth's mineral diversity for scientific and practical advancements.
A new study suggests that some minerals on Mars may have formed in liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) rather than water, challenging the prevailing view that water was the primary liquid on ancient Mars. The research, led by Michael Hecht, explores how liquid CO2 could have contributed to the planet's geomorphological and mineralogical features, citing recent carbon sequestration studies that show similar mineral alterations in liquid CO2. The study calls for further research to test these reactions under conditions similar to early Mars.
A study led by Bogdan P. Onac has explored lava tubes on Lanzarote, Spain, revealing mineral deposits and microbial biosignatures that offer insights into ancient environments on Earth and potential life on Mars. These findings suggest that Martian lava tubes, which may contain similar sulfate-rich minerals, could hold clues to past microbial life, impacting future planetary exploration and astrobiology research.
A new study led by Andrea Giuliani has found that the iron-to-magnesium ratio in olivine, a mineral in kimberlite rock, is directly related to the presence of diamonds. The research, supported by De Beers, revealed that olivine becomes richer in iron due to metasomatism, a process in the earth's interior, which destroys diamonds. Conversely, when no metasomatism occurs, olivine contains more magnesium, preserving the diamonds. This new olivine analysis method is now being used by De Beers as it provides a simpler and faster way to detect diamond deposits.
A new discovery has made finding diamonds easier by linking the composition of olivine, a less sought-after gem, to the presence of diamonds. Olivine with higher magnesium concentrations indicates the likelihood of diamonds nearby, while high iron concentrations suggest the absence of diamonds due to geological processes. This method, supported by De Beers, simplifies the search for diamonds and provides insight into why previous methods worked.
Scientists have developed a machine learning model that can predict the locations of minerals on Earth and potentially other planets. By analyzing patterns in mineral associations, the model uses data from the Mineral Evolution Database to identify previously unknown mineral occurrences. The model was successfully tested in the Tecopa basin, a Mars analog environment, and located promising areas for critical rare earth elements and lithium minerals. This advancement has significant implications for mineralogists, petrologists, economic geologists, and planetary scientists.