Minerals are geologic time capsules of the environments in which they form. With the right approach, their mysteries can be cracked open to reveal key features of the ancient Earth or other planets.

If every mineral tells a story, then geologists now have their equivalent of The Arabian Nights. For the first time, scientists have cataloged every different way that every known mineral can form and ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Bressan is a geologist who covers curiosities about Earth. A 15-year study led by the Carnegie Institution for Science ...

A calcium-enriched feldspar mineral from Canada. Image by Tim Sandle. A calcium-enriched feldspar mineral from Canada. Image by Tim Sandle. It has taken fifteen years but now researchers have detailed ...

Water helped 80+% of mineral species to form; Biology had a direct or indirect role in ~50%; One-third formed exclusively through biological processes Pyrite (“Fool’s Gold”) formed in 21 ways -- the ...

AZtecGeo is a geoscience-dedicated user profile for particle analysis software AZtecFeature, designed to guide the automated quantification of mineral morphology and composition across large samples.

A 15-year study details the origins and diversity of every known mineral on Earth, a landmark body of work that will help reconstruct the history of life on Earth, guide the search for new minerals ...