Mineralogy is the branch of the geosciences that investigates the chemical composition, crystal structure, physical properties, and genesis of minerals, which are naturally occurring, inorganic solids with ordered atomic arrangements and defined (though sometimes variable) chemical formulas. It integrates crystallography, solid-state chemistry, and thermodynamics to characterize mineral phases, their stability fields, and phase transitions under varying pressure–temperature–composition conditions. Mineralogical research underpins petrology, ore deposit studies, and environmental and planetary sciences by providing quantitative tools for identifying minerals, modeling geochemical processes, and interpreting rock-forming and alteration histories at microscopic to planetary scales.
Pyrite, an iron sulfide ore, is often known as fool's gold because its shiny metallic luster and pale brass-yellow color can easily fool the untrained eye into mistaking it for real gold. This time, however, 360 kilometers ...
This close-up view shows fragments of sulfur crystals, the first ever seen on the Red Planet.
Planetary Sciences
Jul 9, 2026
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Like a shelf in an old house, the Earth collects a lot of dust from its surroundings. This "space dust" is mostly made up of micrometeorites that survive atmospheric entry and provides researchers with a cheap and easy way ...
Tyler Spano's impact on the field of mineralogy is anything but small. So when a newly discovered mineral, modest in size but significant in meaning, was named spanoite in her honor, it became a fitting tribute to her contributions ...
Earth Sciences
Jul 6, 2026
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Gold has long held a special place in Australia's history, shaping the nation's economic fortunes and driving waves of migration since the 1850s gold rushes. Today, Australia stands as one of the world's largest gold producers, ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 25, 2026
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In September 2025, NASA announced that its Perseverance rover had discovered a potential biosignature, which is a substance or structure that might have a biological origin. A new paper, published in Science Advances, unambiguously ...
Astrobiology
Jun 24, 2026
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An international team of scientists has identified a completely new type of rock from the red planet and, for the first time, discovered the mineral garnet in a Martian sample. The breakthrough offers a rare glimpse into ...
Planetary Sciences
Jun 17, 2026
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A huge 11,000-carat ruby has been discovered in Myanmar, state media reported Friday, one of the largest ever found in the country renowned for its precious gemstones.
Earth Sciences
May 8, 2026
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Earth's earliest continents may have set the chemical stage for life by regulating boron levels in ancient oceans, a new study in Terra Nova suggests.
Astrobiology
May 6, 2026
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Rocks can bind carbon dioxide—and much faster than previously thought. For a long time, it was assumed that the transformation of CO2 into carbonate rock depends on very slow, time-consuming processes. According to that view, ...
Nanophysics
Apr 29, 2026
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