Articles tagged with Minerals
Researchers have developed a new method to study ancient grains of sand, revealing details of the Earth's distant geological past. The 'age distribution fingerprint' of zircon minerals sheds light on the evolution of continents and the accumulation of mineral resources.
A team of researchers used advanced dating techniques to determine that the subduction of continental material occurred after the obduction of the Samail Ophiolite, contradicting previous estimates. The study provides new insights into subduction zones and their formation.
Researchers found evidence of high-intensity damage caused by asteroid impact in a Martian meteorite, challenging previous findings on early Mars habitability. The discovery provides new insights into dynamic processes that affected the young planet's surface.
Researchers at MIT developed a selective separation process using sulfidation to target rare metals like cobalt in lithium-ion batteries. The approach reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional liquid-based separation methods.
A new study published in Nature Communications reveals chemical heterogeneities in Apollo 17 sample troctolite 76535, indicating an early rapid cooling of the Moon. This finding challenges previous estimates of a 100-million-year cooling duration and supports initial rapid cooling of magmas within the lunar crust.
A new study suggests that clay minerals like smectite could store the missing water on Mars. Researchers found that iron-rich smectite can form at depths of up to 30 km, making it a potential reservoir for the planet's lost water.
A new nanotechnology developed by Penn State researchers selectively recovers neodymium and other rare earth elements from electronic waste using plant cellulose. The process is environmentally friendly and can separate neodymium in seconds, making it a sustainable solution for recycling.
A team of scientists has identified a new force behind the past mass extinction event, finding that volcano eruptions produced a 'volcanic winter' that drastically lowered earth's temperatures. This change added to the environmental effects resulting from other phenomena at the time.
Researchers from UNLV have discovered a new mineral, davemaoite, which originated between 410-560 miles deep within the Earth's lower mantle. The calcium silicate compound was trapped in a diamond and preserved due to its incredible strength, making it possible for scientists to study its structure.
Researchers found that borosilicate glass was crucial for synthesizing amino acids and other prebiotic organic compounds. The study suggests that the emergence of life on Earth may be more abiotic than previously thought.
Researchers have identified a quantum phase transition in ferropericlase, a mineral abundant in the lower mantle. The study, published in Nature Communications, confirms earlier predictions and suggests this phenomenon may increase tectonic events like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Scientists recreated Titan's conditions, studying properties of organic molecules ACN and PCN on the moon's surface. The findings could provide insights into Titan's surface cracking and confirm its mineral composition.
Researchers at MLU and Brazilian University of Pará create climate-friendly cement alternative by replacing limestone with Belterra clay, a previously unused overburden from bauxite mining. The new cement is just as stable as traditional Portland cement and reduces CO2 emissions during production.
Scientists have found evidence of hydrohematite, an iron oxide mineral containing water, in Martian rocks. This discovery suggests that Mars may have once had a watery environment and could hold a significant water reserve.
Researchers found that even in hydrated subducting slabs, dry olivine can exist, resolving a long-standing paradox. This discovery suggests hydrous minerals play crucial roles in the Earth's interior water cycle and contribute to deep-focus earthquakes and large plate deformations.
Penn State is leading a $1.2 million project, CANARY, to assess and catalog northern Appalachian-basin critical mineral resources and waste streams. The project aims to extract valuable materials from coal waste, promoting regional growth and addressing national security needs.
A new study suggests that early Earth's hotter mantle could have stored more water than today, leading to a larger global ocean. The findings challenge previous assumptions about the size of the ocean and offer clues to its evolution over time.
Researchers used lab tools to mimic extreme conditions, redefining the conditions under which carbonates can exist in the Earth's lower mantle. The study expands our understanding of the deep carbon cycle and the Earth's evolution.
Compressive stresses in the lithosphere induce grain mixing and damage, generating vertical weak bands that facilitate subduction initiation. These weak zones are susceptible to bending associated with subduction and may provide insight into plate tectonics on Earth.
Scientists propose that widespread semiconducting minerals can absorb sunlight and drive reduction reactions similar to those in biological photosynthesis. These minerals may have played a transformative role throughout primitive Earth, driving the evolution of early lifeforms.
Al-phase D mineral discovered to transport and host water up to 1200 km in lower mantle, improving stability against pressure and temperature. Researchers measured sound velocities and density of Al-phase D using synchrotron X-ray techniques, providing clear understanding of seismic velocities of hydrous rocks.
Researchers have discovered a new high-pressure mineral in the lunar meteorite Oued Awlitis 001, which is composed of calcium, aluminum, and silicon atoms. The newly found mineral donwilhelmsite forms at depths of 460-700 kilometers and has relevance for understanding subducted terrestrial sediments
Researchers from Far Eastern Federal University have improved a processing technology for monazite concentrate, increasing the extraction of thorium and rare earth elements. This new method provides a more eco-friendly nuclear fuel cycle with reduced waste accumulation and increased reactor lifespan.
Researchers discovered that sodium and potassium make rare earth elements soluble, allowing for better predictions of their concentrations. This breakthrough could lead to new discoveries of neodymium and dysprosium deposits, essential for digital and clean energy manufacturing.
SwRI scientists studied the color, reflectivity, age, composition, origin and distribution of materials on asteroid Bennu's surface. The mission discovered carbon-bearing compounds and minerals containing or formed by water, which will help determine the scenarios that best explain Bennu's surface composition.
Researchers discovered that helium ions can heal radiation-damaged monazite, a mineral that always remains moderately damaged. This unusual property has significant implications for Earth sciences research and experiments with synthetic minerals.
A team of scientists at MIT and elsewhere has determined that a family of oddball meteorites likely came from an early planetesimal with a magnetic core. The discovery suggests that the diversity of the earliest objects in the solar system may have been more complex than previously thought.
Researchers found remnants of bridgmanite in large type IIb diamonds, suggesting they formed at depths of over 660 km. This confirms predictions that both the Hope and Cullinan diamonds are super-deep, originating from more than three times deeper in the Earth's mantle
Researchers discovered new variants of feldspar stable under extreme pressure conditions, potentially altering seismologic signatures and plate dynamics. The high-pressure polymorphs were formed through severe geometrical distortions in the tetrahedral framework.
Researchers discovered an oxygen-excess phase in the mid-mantle that contains more oxygen than hematite. This new phase could have long-termly oxidized the shallow mantle and crust, influencing global habitability.
Researchers have found that excess minerals in these rocks originate from feeder conduits, where magma interacts with cold sidewalls and crystallises. This approach has great promise for solving petrological problems of magmatic complexes.
Scientists identify two meteorites containing minerals with superconducting properties, shedding light on the potential for natural superconductivity in space. The discovery could help explain the formation of magnetic fields in celestial objects.
Geologists from Wits University have found a mechanism that generates melts saturated in plagioclase alone, leading to the formation of monomineralic layers. These unique rock formations are common in layered intrusions worldwide and hold significant value for glass fibre manufacturing.
Recent advancements in quantum mechanical computation enable precise predictions of complex minerals' stability, elasticity, and transport properties. These calculations reveal new insights into the Earth's deep interior, including post-perovskite phase boundaries and potential hydrous compounds.
The USGS report evaluates the global supply of and US demand for 52 mineral commodities between 2007 and 2016, identifying those posing the greatest supply risk. The top-risk minerals include rare earth elements, cobalt, niobium, and tungsten, which are crucial for mobile devices, renewable energy, aerospace, and defense applications.
Researchers discovered a new aluminium hydroxide phase that remains stable at pressures exceeding the Earth's mantle. This finding suggests water can be stored in these hydroxides within deep Earth environments, terrestrial super-Earths, and icy planet cores.
University of Queensland scientists have identified a new reference material and used a state-of-the-art instrument to better date rock formations in central Asia. This new method could help establish the relationship between historical episodes of magma activity and mineral accumulation.
The West Virginia Water Research Institute will scale up its Rare Earth Recovery Project with the new funding, which includes building a facility at an acid mine drainage treatment plant near Mount Storm. The project aims to extract rare earth elements from coal and coal byproducts, reducing dependence on China.
Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery about the deep Earth's interior, determining the phase boundary for the transportation of water. The new phase H MgSiO4H2 has been identified and its decomposition process explained, shedding light on the complex geodynamics at play.
A new study suggests that ancient Mars experienced warm periods with flowing water, followed by cold periods where water froze. This finding is significant as it increases the chances of simple life developing on Mars around the same time as it did on Earth.
SMU's 'Titans in a jar' project aims to recreate Titan's conditions in laboratory cylinders, helping assess the possibility of life on the moon. Researchers will study chemical structures and organic minerals to understand Titan's potential for past or present life.
A new classification system could better understand mineralogy as a process of universal and planetary evolution by accounting for minerals' distinct journeys. This system, proposed by Robert Hazen, groups minerals into natural kind clusters that reflect the inherent messiness of planetary evolution.
Researchers have discovered naturally occurring photocurrents in iron and manganese mineral coatings on rocks in China. These coatings exhibit stable photocurrents under steady illumination and rapid changes with illumination fluctuations, suggesting a potential role in biogeochemical processes.
Daniela Rubatto's research provides a new way to connect minerals' ages to their formation conditions, reconstructing the speed and duration of rock travel within the Earth's crust. Her innovative method uses an ion microprobe to extract valuable information from minerals, contributing to better understanding geological processes.
A new characteristic 'biosignature' has been identified to track the remains of ancient life on Earth. The discovery suggests that graphite-like crystals alongside minerals such as apatite and carbonate are indicative of biological origin.
Recreating Earth's interior conditions helps scientists understand diamond formation and carbon transport in the mantle. Carbonate minerals remain stable up to depths of 1,000-1,300km before reacting with surrounding silica to form bridgmanite.
Scientists used high-pressure techniques to measure sound velocities of a key mineral in the Earth's mantle, shedding light on its composition and role in the lower mantle. The findings suggest that subducted oceanic crust plays a crucial role in explaining the magnitude of seismic velocity reductions at depths below 660 km.
A new high-pressure mineral, Maohokite, has been discovered and found to contain Fe3+, replacing the previously believed Fe2+, in the Earth's lower mantle. This discovery was made by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science.
Engineers used microscopic friction measurements to confirm that rocks can dissolve under certain conditions, causing faults to slip. The study found that brine-calcite interactions can induce dissolution and decrease frictional strength at the single-asperity scale.
Researchers found traces of fatty acids in Dorset's acidic streams, mimicking conditions on Mars billions of years ago. They believe these findings could indicate nearly 12,000 pools of organic matter on Mars that represent past life.
Researchers analyzed the Hypatia stone, a pebble found in Egypt, and discovered unique minerals that suggest it originated from pre-solar material. The stone contains polyaromatic hydrocarbons, metallic aluminum, phosphides, and moissanite, which are uncommon in our solar system.
Geologists can improve estimates of landscape erosion and sediment dispersal by accounting for factors like bedrock material erosion rates, zircon fertility, and sediment recycling. Researchers collected zircon grain samples from modern river watersheds in the Andes Mountains to test these assumptions.
High-pressure X-ray measurements reveal the formation of a new phase of kaolinite, a clay mineral containing aluminium, under conditions similar to those in subduction zones. The super-hydrated phase contains more water than any other known aluminosilicate mineral in the mantle.
Researchers used instrumented nanoindentation to measure olivine's strength, finding it weaker with larger diamond tips. The study resolves a long-standing debate on the mineral's strength and has implications for understanding plate tectonics and volcanic activity.
A groundbreaking study applies big data analysis to mineralogy, predicting the existence of 1,500 missing minerals and new deposits. The technique enables scientists to represent data from multiple variables on thousands of minerals in a single graph, revealing patterns of occurrence and distribution.
Researchers have mapped areas with high rare earth mineral resource potential within heavy mineral sands in the southeastern United States. The study suggests that a large percentage of these minerals are derived from specific Piedmont province rocks via coastal processes during Atlantic opening.
Researchers have published a detailed geological history for Northeast Syrtis Major, a region on Mars known for its striking mineral diversity. The study maps the extent of key mineral deposits across the surface and places them within the region's larger geological context. This work could help inform NASA's decision on potential land...
A team of scientists has discovered a rare sample of the mineral majorite, which originated at least 235 miles below Earth's surface. The discovery provides valuable insights into the dynamic processes occurring deep inside the Earth and its history, including the formation of mountain ranges that persist today.
A global research team warns of severe mineral supply constraints due to lack of international coordination on exploration investment efforts and geological data sharing. The shortage could lead to rising prices and critical shortages of essential resources, including technology minerals and base metals.
Scientists confirm that silica can form complex self-assembling mineral structures in natural alkaline waters. These 'biomorphs' resemble living organisms and may hold clues to the origins of life on Earth.