An unknown mineral appears from deep in the earth in diamond
It sounds a bit like the beginning of an interstellar science fiction novel: a mineral from the depths of the Earth has been found in diamonds. Metal should not appear on the surface at all.
The discovery was made by the University of Nevada, where diamonds that emerged from an African mine in the early 1980s were re-examined using the latest technology.
When they did, they saw that the tiny black spots in the diamond were actually calcium silicate particles. The researchers said the type of mineral they found comes from a depth of between 600 and 900 km. These minerals usually decay before they reach the Earth’s surface, and appear unable to survive intact outside the high pressure environment from which they originated.
This time, however, the minerals in the diamond have been preserved in perfect condition. With this discovery, researchers hope to learn more about Earth’s depths. They also hope that – now that we know these types of minerals can remain intact in this way – more new minerals will be discovered.
Read more about the discovery here: The discovery of the first ever endo-earth minerals in nature.
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