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FP trendNovember 19, 2020 2:08:41 p.m. IST
A volcano in Russian led to the formation of a new mineral that had never been documented before. The research team named the sulphate mineral “petrovite”, with the chemical formula Na10CaCu2 (SO4) 8. The mineral was found in the volcanic landscape in the far east of Russia, at the top of the Tolbachik volcano in the Kamchatka Peninsula. The volcano is particularly popular because of its volatile history.
The “Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption” in 1975-1976 was followed by a smaller eruption in 2012-2013 in two of the larger eruptions associated with Tolbachik. The first eruption left a large area surrounding the volcano bare where scientists later discovered deposits of fumaroles and several unknown minerals. According to the data, no less than 130 minerals were discovered for the first time on the site of the Tolbachik volcano, with petrovite being the latest.
Petrovite is a blue, porous mineral. Image Credit: University of So Petersburg / Divulgao
The result of the latest study was published in Mineralogical magazine and researchers claim that the petrovite specimen was collected in 2000. The sample was found near the ash cone / ash, a structure made up of deposits from the vent of the volcano, from the 1975 eruption and kept for future study. Now that the mineral has finally been studied, it shows a new type of molecular structure, according to the study. Stanislav Filatov of the University of St. Petersburg, who is also the principal researcher and crystallographer, said in a Press release that “the copper atom in the crystal structure of petrovite has an unusual and very rare coordination of seven oxygen atoms”.
The newly discovered crystal structure resembles another mineral called saranchinaite, which was also found in Tolbachik a few years ago. The molecular structure of Petrovite is made up of oxygen atoms, sodium sulfur and copper are also porous in nature. This chemical structure allows sulfur ions to enter and exit the structure easily. Therefore, scientists believe that petrovite can be used to invent new ways to develop cathodes for use in batteries and electrical devices.
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