The presence in the Land of 2,550 rare minerals is a unique fingerprint that differentiates the planet from all the others that exist in the cosmos, scientists have cataloged for the first time all mineral varieties said.
According to scientists Robert Hazen and Jesse Ausubel, who published in the journal American Mineralogist the study “The nature and significance of mineralogical rarity,” which lists the 2,550 most bizarre planet’s minerals, minerals like fingerita discovered in El Salvador, or amicita, distinguish Earth from other planets.
“Our conclusion is that each planet that might exist with life has a unique fingerprint of minerals, especially minerals rare. and it is very likely that lifeless planets, such as Mercury and even Mars are much simpler mineral conditions, “said Dr. Hazen of the Carnegie Institution.
Hazen, who is also the director executive Deep carbon Observatory (DCO), a program that studies the carbon on Earth, adding that this is the reason that so far the scans on the Moon or Mars, through the rover, “are not finding many surprises in mineralogy “.
Ausubel, program director of Human Environment at Rockefeller University in New York, said the mineralogical wealth of the planet Earth is linked to the richness of life and a world ecologically poor would result in the presence of less minerals.
“it’s an incredibly fascinating concept that has appeared in the last decade, the idea that minerals and life are absolutely linked. Life itself requires minerals. Could not have started life without some of the chemical properties minerals provided at the beginning of the Earth, “Hazen said.
” And then, when life appears on Earth, created new niches where new minerals form. Minerals are life, life form minerals. Therefore we speak of coevolution. You can not separate life and minerals. The two domains are so linked that almost indistinguishable, “said the director of DCO.
Of the 5,090 minerals (including 2,550 considered rare) known to science so far, less than 100 up 99% of the earth’s crust.
and according to Hazen and Ausubel, more than two-thirds of the known mineral variants, “including the vast majority of rare species, have been attributed to biological changes in the environment near the surface of the Earth. “
Hazen and Ausubel said the 2,550 rare minerals known so far, are unique and precious than diamonds or gems that have become the symbol of exclusivity in our society.
the scientists said in their study that “diamonds, rubies, emeralds and other precious gems are found in numerous spots and sold in commercial quantities and are therefore not unusual in the sense that we use in this document “.
Hazen cited the ichnusaite mineral, created underground by the mixture of thorium, a radioactive element, and molybdenum. So far, it has only been found a sample of this mineral in the Mediterranean island of Sardinia a few years ago.
“If you want to give your fiancé a truly unique ring, forget the diamonds. Regala one ichnusaite Sardinia “joked Hazen.
scientists explained that some minerals are considered rare because although they are composed of the most common ingredients,” are ‘cooked’ under controlled conditions exquisitely “.
the authors put as an example the hatrurita mineral, “formed by three of the most abundant elements on earth (calcium, silicon and oxygen). But hatrurita only way a very restrictive environment, temperatures above 1,250 degrees and the absence of another common element, aluminum “.
Other minerals are rare because its components are unusual, as beryllium, hafnium or tellurium. In other cases, simply because they are in places difficult to access, such as Antarctica.
And finally, other minerals are unique in their characteristics.
An example are minerals that Hazen and Ausubel called “vampires” as edoylerita, a mineral disintegrates when exposed to light.
No comments:
Post a Comment