[ad_1]
The new mineral has a curious chemical signature and was discovered inside a diamond. He was named goldschmidtite. (Image Source: University of Alberta / Nicole Meyer)Scientists have found a small stone in a diamond from South Africa. The tiny rock contains a mineral never found before. This new substance could reveal some of the unusual chemical reactions taking place inside the Earth's mantle.
The researchers extracted the new mineral from a Koffiefontein pipe in South Africa, known for producing some of the world's most famous diamonds. The mine is managed by De Beers. The results of research conducted by scientists at the University of Alberta are published in American mineralogist, presented this new particular mineral "Goldschmidtite" ((K, REE, Sr) (Nb, Cr) O3), which is in honor of the geochemist Victor Moritz Goldschmidt, according to the research study.
When the diamonds are extracted, they contain small pieces of other minerals that are at the bottom of the Earth's surface. In one of these bright stones, the researchers discovered a dark green opaque mineral that they estimated to have extracted about 170 km below the surface.
"Goldschmidtite contains high concentrations of niobium, potassium and rare earth elements, lanthanum and cerium, while the rest of the mantle is dominated by other elements, such as magnesium and iron," Nicole Meyer, graduate student at Diamond Exploration Research at the University of Alberta. and training school and senior author of the research, said in a statement.
Potassium and niobium making the most of this new mineral, it means that these rare elements were collected and concentrated, which led to the formation of this unusual mineral, she added.
According to data available on National Geographic, the mantle of the Earth is about 2,900 km thick. The lower regions of this layer are therefore difficult to study. Extreme heat and pressure in the top layer of the mantle transform the carbon into a diamond. By studying the minerals in diamonds when extracted, researchers can understand the chemical processes that took place well below the Earth's crust.
Read also | Scientists discover giant rocky continents 4 billion years old close to the Earth's mantle
"Goldschmidtite is very unusual for inclusion captured by the diamond and gives us insight into the fluid processes that affect the deep roots of the continents during diamond formation," said Graham Pearson, co-supervisor of Meyer in his statement.
[ad_2]
Source link