Geochemists Find New Mineral on Earth

Why spend so much time exploring other planets when we still have a lot to learn about our own? At first, you would surely laugh at such questions. But when you think of it, they actually have some wisdom in them.

A new study that CNET.com tells us about confirms it. While looking at dark inclusions from a diamond, a team of scientists found a new mineral at the surface of Earth: davemaoite.

“It shouldn’t be here”

The geochemists responsible for the discovery traced the davemaoite to roughly 400 miles down to the Earth’s lower mantle. More precisely, it’s about the portion located between the core and the crust. The newfound mineral was approved by the International Mineralogical Association and added to its roster of minerals.

The University of Nevada (Las Vegas) said in a statement the following, as quoted by CNET.com:

There’s just one catch: it shouldn’t be here.

As quoted by the same source, the mineralogist Oliver Tschauner said:

For jewelers and buyers, the size, color, and clarity of a diamond all matter, and inclusions — those black specks that annoy the jeweler — for us, they’re a gift,

I think we were very surprised. We didn’t expect this.

Broadly speaking, a mineral or mineral species represents a solid chemical compound that features a well-defined chemical composition as well as a specific crystal structure that shall occur naturally in pure form.

There are seven types of minerals, according to MVOrganizing.org: silicates, oxides, sulfates, sulfides, carbonates, native elements, and halides.

According to SoftSchools.com, each type of mineral has the same set of chemicals when it comes to its makeup.

Feel free to tell us what do you think about the discovery of the new mineral known as davemaoite!