What Is the Impact of Volcanic Ash on the Ozone Layer?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H_lG5PWQp1s/WZXY91kkczI/AAAAAAAANKs/WzvDbfFzvPQywNK92KThhzFKtUL07UgkwCLcBGAs/s1600/Volcanic%2Beruptions%2Bcould%2Bresult%2Bin%2Bozone%2Bdepletion%2Buntil%2B2070%2Bor%2Bbeyond%252C%2Bdespite%2Bdeclining%2Bconcentrations%2Bof%2Bhuman-made%2BCFCs..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H_lG5PWQp1s/WZXY91kkczI/AAAAAAAANKs/WzvDbfFzvPQywNK92KThhzFKtUL07UgkwCLcBGAs/s640/Volcanic%2Beruptions%2Bcould%2Bresult%2Bin%2Bozone%2Bdepletion%2Buntil%2B2070%2Bor%2Bbeyond%252C%2Bdespite%2Bdeclining%2Bconcentrations%2Bof%2Bhuman-made%2BCFCs..jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volcanic eruptions could result in ozone depletion until 2070 or beyond, despite declining concentrations of human-made CFCs.</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The next major volcanic eruption could kick-start chemical reactions that would seriously damage the planet's already besieged ozone layer.</span></i><br /> <br /> The extent of damage to the ozone layer that results from a large, explosive eruption depends on complex atmospheric chemistry, including the levels of human-made emissions in the atmosphere. Using sophisticated chemical modeling, researchers from Harvard University and the University of Maryland explored what would happen to the ozone layer in response to large-scale volcanic eruptions over the remainder of this century and in several different greenhouse gas emission scenarios. The research was published recently in Geophysical Research Letters.<br /> <br /> Earth's stratosphere is still recovering from the historic release of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other ozone-depleting chemicals. Even though CFCs were phased out by the Montreal Protocol 30 years ago, levels of chlorine-containing molecules in the atmosphere are still elevated. Explosive volcanic eruptions that inject large quantities of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere facilitate the chemical conversion of chlorine into more reactive forms that destroy ozone.<br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="6157425841" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> Researchers have long known that when concentrations of chlorine from human-produced CFCs are high, ozone depletion will result following a volcanic eruption. When levels of chlorine from CFCs are low, volcanic eruptions can actually increase the thickness of the ozone layer. But exactly when this transition happens -- from eruptions that deplete ozone to eruptions that increase ozone layer thickness -- has long been uncertain. Previous research has put the window of the transition anywhere between 2015 to 2040.<br /> <br /> The Harvard researchers found that volcanic eruptions could result in ozone depletion until 2070 or beyond, despite declining concentrations of human-made CFCs.<br /> <br /> "Our model results show that the vulnerability of the ozone column to large volcanic eruptions will likely continue late in to the 21st century, significantly later than previous estimates," said David Wilmouth, who directed the research and is a project scientist at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.<br /> <br /> So, why is this shift happening so much later than previously thought?<br /> <br /> "Previous estimates did not take into account certain natural sources of halogen gases, such as very-short lived bromocarbons originating from marine plankton and microalgae," said Eric Klobas, lead author and Harvard chemical physics PhD candidate.<br /> <br /> Accounting for these emissions fine-tunes the timing of the shift from eruptions that cause ozone depletion to eruptions that increase the thickness of the ozone layer. These natural sources of bromine become especially important in the lower stratosphere after concentrations of human-emitted CFCs have declined.<br /> <br /> "We found that the concentration of bromine from natural, very short-lived organic compounds is critically important," said Klobas. "Even small, part-per-trillion changes in the amount of bromine from these sources can mean the difference between a late 21st century volcanic eruption resulting in ozone column depletion or ozone column enhancement."<br /> <br /> The researchers then explored how a volcanic event the size of the Mount Pinatubo eruption, which shot about 20 million metric tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere in 1991, would impact the ozone layer in 2100. The team modeled four different greenhouse gas emission scenarios, ranging from very optimistic to what is commonly considered the worst-case scenario.<br /> <br /> The team found that the most optimistic projection of future greenhouse gas concentrations resulted in the most ozone depletion from a volcanic eruption. Conversely, in the pessimistic scenario in which greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase rapidly throughout the 21st century, a Mount Pinatubo-size eruption would actually lead to a slight increase in ozone. The researchers found that the colder stratospheric temperatures and higher methane levels in this scenario would curb important ozone-depleting chemical reactions.<br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="6157425841" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> But, here's the kicker: all of the above scenarios assumed that the volcanic eruption would only inject sulfur into the stratosphere, like the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines. If the eruption were to also inject halogen-containing chemicals such as hydrogen chloride (HCl) into the stratosphere, the results could be dire.<br /> <br /> "If volcanic halogens, which are commonly present in large quantities in volcanic eruptions, were to partition substantially into the stratosphere -- in any greenhouse gas emission scenario, at any point in the future -- it would potentially cause severe losses of stratospheric ozone," said Klobas.<br /> <br /> In such a case, the United States could see a prolonged and significant decrease in ozone layer thickness -- upwards of 15 to 25 percent in the highest halogen scenario modeled. Even small reductions in the thickness of the ozone layer, which shields the surface of the Earth from DNA-destroying ultraviolet radiation, can adversely impact human health and other life on this planet.<br /> <br /> "These eruptions are highly unusual events but the possibility does exist, as evidenced in the historical record," said Wilmouth.<br /> <br /> <br /> <u><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The above story is based on <a href="http://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2017/08/how-future-volcanic-eruptions-will-impact-earth-s-ozone-layer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Materials</a> provided by <a href="http://www.seas.harvard.edu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences</a>. Original written by Leah Burrows.</span></i></u></div>

What Is the Impact of Volcanic Ash on the Ozone Layer?

Volcanic eruptions could result in ozone depletion until 2070 or beyond, despite declining concentrations of human-made CFCs. The next...

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California Rainbow Obsidian Is a Natural Wonder (PHOTOS)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j2mKw7Yn07s/WZWoUKTKubI/AAAAAAAANJc/X3F4uc0Gz889nzW-GdDnePpi6KDYFvXcQCLcBGAs/s1600/Pink%2Bobsidian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="720" height="420" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j2mKw7Yn07s/WZWoUKTKubI/AAAAAAAANJc/X3F4uc0Gz889nzW-GdDnePpi6KDYFvXcQCLcBGAs/s640/Pink%2Bobsidian.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorful obsidian. Photo: Joseph Martin</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2015/08/obsidian-definition-properties-uses.html" target="_blank"><b>Obsidian </b></a>is dense volcanic glass, usually rhyolite in composition and<b> typically black </b>in color.  <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Obsidian with multicolored iridescence caused by inclusions of magnetite nanoparticles.</span></b> Obsidian is often formed in r<a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2014/12/how-to-classify-igneous-rocks-into.html" target="_blank">hyolite lava</a> flows where the lava cools so fast that crystals do not have time to grow. Glass, unlike crystals, has no regular structure and therefore fractures in smooth, curved shapes. The intersections of these fractures can form edges sharper than the finest steel blades. For this reason, obsidian was used by many native cultures to make arrowheads and blades. Even today, surgeons use the knife sharp edges in operations.<br /> <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kdh6-ZNUz-s/WZWolA0TwxI/AAAAAAAANJg/-E8GRuLWE68BLC9E2dpYjdub7KW-7Gy4wCLcBGAs/s1600/This%2Bis%2BRainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bfrom%2BDavis%2BCreek%252C%2BNorthern%2BCalifornia..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="960" height="414" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kdh6-ZNUz-s/WZWolA0TwxI/AAAAAAAANJg/-E8GRuLWE68BLC9E2dpYjdub7KW-7Gy4wCLcBGAs/s640/This%2Bis%2BRainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bfrom%2BDavis%2BCreek%252C%2BNorthern%2BCalifornia..jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Rainbow obsidian from Davis Creek, Northern California.</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="6157425841" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> The volcanic deposits found in the Warner Mountains come in many forms. From the light weight pumice sometimes called “floating rocks” to the dense, glass-like <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2015/08/obsidian-definition-properties-uses.html" target="_blank">obsidian</a>, the colors and diversity are amazing. The Warner Mountains are famous for the variety of obsidian and for the four mines where the public can, with a permit, collect it.<br /> <br /> <b>The four mines</b> - <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Pink Lady, Lassen Creek Rainbow, Needles and Middle Fork Davis Creek</b></span> - are all located within a few miles of US Hwy 395 in northeast California. Rainbow obsidian found at the Rainbow Mine and Middle Fork Davis Creek is sought after for its colorful sheen. Pink obsidian from Pink Lady, and the bundles of obsidian needles from the Needles Mine are the most popular. To make the mines even more interesting, the Needles Mine has deposits of elongated obsidian needles, think string cheese only in glass. Ample obsidian deposits assure every looker success at finding this unique glass. To find the colored obsidian it is recommended that you go on sunny days between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., although other hours are okay, you just have to look harder.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jxaCyCq6yvE/WZWpDJnjFCI/AAAAAAAANJo/ZH_PNLftK8wExs490PWio9wDWZmfDq5wACLcBGAs/s1600/Spectacular%2Brainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bblade%2B%2528from%2BDavis%2BCreek%252C%2BCalifornia%2Bmaterial%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="536" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jxaCyCq6yvE/WZWpDJnjFCI/AAAAAAAANJo/ZH_PNLftK8wExs490PWio9wDWZmfDq5wACLcBGAs/s640/Spectacular%2Brainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bblade%2B%2528from%2BDavis%2BCreek%252C%2BCalifornia%2Bmaterial%2529.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectacular rainbow obsidian blade<br /> (from Davis Creek, California material) Photo: Quinn Street</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> On <b>the Modoc National Forest</b>, obsidian excavation may be done under a Free Use Authorization at any of the four designated mines. Excavation is allowed at these locations only. The Free Use Authorization allows a visitor to collect a predetermined amount per year of obsidian for their own personal use. <br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <!-- insidepost --><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="3957834894" style="display: block;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> <b>The Davis Creek Mercantile</b> in Davis Creek provides maps and permits to the mines, free of charge. Although four-wheel-drive vehicles are not needed, high clearance vehicles are suggested. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Free Use Authorizations are available at:</span><br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li>Modoc National Forest Supervisor's Office - 800 West 12th Street, Alturas, CA 96101</li> <li>Warner Mountain Ranger District Office - 385 Wallace Street, Cedarville, CA 96104</li> <li>Davis Creek Mercantile - 41942 Highway 395, Davis Creek, CA 96108</li> </ul> <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzrpD0zaPrs/WZWpdHen0UI/AAAAAAAANJs/fGy-8ad4yhARFYTw_aSMNDi47zzaUiGFQCLcBGAs/s1600/Davis%2BCreek%2BRainbow%2BObsidian.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzrpD0zaPrs/WZWpdHen0UI/AAAAAAAANJs/fGy-8ad4yhARFYTw_aSMNDi47zzaUiGFQCLcBGAs/s640/Davis%2BCreek%2BRainbow%2BObsidian.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peppermint stripe Obsidian from Davis Creek. photo: Scott's Rock & Gem</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vsJDd6GWhNo/WZWqO2ohRnI/AAAAAAAANJ0/axInuPxSu7AJBUwbZxYJiafEKXz5DtnnwCLcBGAs/s1600/rainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bblade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vsJDd6GWhNo/WZWqO2ohRnI/AAAAAAAANJ0/axInuPxSu7AJBUwbZxYJiafEKXz5DtnnwCLcBGAs/s640/rainbow%2Bobsidian%2Bblade.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rough rainbow obsidian from Davis Creek. photo: Scott's Rock & Gem</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="6157425841" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hz0ghbB0bEA/WZWqzCaPUYI/AAAAAAAANJ8/QcaeV0-ydzgqi8wnzsqBALOJvvrvLJVPACLcBGAs/s1600/This%2Brock%2Bhad%2Bmarvelous%2Bstripes%2Bof%2Brich%252C%2Bvibrant%2Bcolor..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hz0ghbB0bEA/WZWqzCaPUYI/AAAAAAAANJ8/QcaeV0-ydzgqi8wnzsqBALOJvvrvLJVPACLcBGAs/s640/This%2Brock%2Bhad%2Bmarvelous%2Bstripes%2Bof%2Brich%252C%2Bvibrant%2Bcolor..jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This rock had marvelous stripes of rich, vibrant color. photo: Scott's Rock & Gem</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N_humSzFlkE/WZWrPuVI9JI/AAAAAAAANKA/xziaxdhC-GknZgiGuyIz0z-14HZUBw_OwCLcBGAs/s1600/Davis%2BCreek%2BCa%252C%2BRainbow%2BObsidian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N_humSzFlkE/WZWrPuVI9JI/AAAAAAAANKA/xziaxdhC-GknZgiGuyIz0z-14HZUBw_OwCLcBGAs/s640/Davis%2BCreek%2BCa%252C%2BRainbow%2BObsidian.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Davis Creek Ca, Rainbow Obsidian</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R6pqKGVAVgY/WZWtaVfT5cI/AAAAAAAANKQ/ReEXgxjH_k8SnhmDKeUPYyzIhse2H2vhwCEwYBhgL/s1600/The%2Bground%2Bat%2BNeedle%2BHill%2Bis%2Babsolutely%2Blittered%2Bwith%2Bblack%2Band%2Bmahogany%2Bobsidian%2Bcobbles..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R6pqKGVAVgY/WZWtaVfT5cI/AAAAAAAANKQ/ReEXgxjH_k8SnhmDKeUPYyzIhse2H2vhwCEwYBhgL/s1600/The%2Bground%2Bat%2BNeedle%2BHill%2Bis%2Babsolutely%2Blittered%2Bwith%2Bblack%2Band%2Bmahogany%2Bobsidian%2Bcobbles..jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ground at Needle Hill is absolutely littered with black and mahogany obsidian cobbles.</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">See Also: </span></b><br /> <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2016/09/top-spots-for-gem-hunting-in-us.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Part I: Top Spots For Gem Hunting In The US</b> </span></a><br /> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/02/part-ii-top-spots-for-gem-hunting-in-us.html" target="_blank">Part II: Top Spots For Gem Hunting In The US </a></span></b><br /> <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/06/where-and-how-to-find-lake-superior.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is Lake Superior Agate, and Where Can You Find It? </span></b></a><br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/p/with-literally-hundreds-of-places.html" target="_blank">Top 2017 Mineral shows In the USA </a></b></span><br /> <u><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />References: </span></b></u><br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.sierranevadageotourism.org/content/obsidian-mines/siefaeb194d18124a5af" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Old Town Creative</a></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://scottsrocks.com/scotts-blog/63-davis-creek-rainbow-obsidian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Scott's Rock & Gem </a></span></div>

California Rainbow Obsidian Is a Natural Wonder (PHOTOS)

Colorful obsidian. Photo: Joseph Martin Obsidian is dense volcanic glass, usually rhyolite in composition and typically black in col...

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Supervolcanoes: A Key to America's Electric Future?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TUASHBhhKJU/WZRor1qvILI/AAAAAAAANI8/PlhW9PqSkgEvKRaurX75WlNgaClOj-Y9ACLcBGAs/s1600/Mica%2Bgreisen%2Bwith%2Banomalous%2Blithium%2Bcontent%2Bq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="990" height="504" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TUASHBhhKJU/WZRor1qvILI/AAAAAAAANI8/PlhW9PqSkgEvKRaurX75WlNgaClOj-Y9ACLcBGAs/s640/Mica%2Bgreisen%2Bwith%2Banomalous%2Blithium%2Bcontent%2Bq.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mica greisen with anomalous lithium content</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <br /> <i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stanford researchers show that lake sediments preserved within ancient supervolcanoes can host large lithium-rich clay deposits. A domestic source of lithium would help meet the rising demand for this valuable metal, which is critical for modern technology.</span></i><br /> <br /> Most of the lithium used to make the lithium-ion batteries that power modern electronics comes from Australia and Chile. But Stanford scientists say there are large deposits in sources right here in America: supervolcanoes.<br /> <br /> In a study published today in Nature Communications, scientists detail a new method for locating lithium in supervolcanic lake deposits. The findings represent an important step toward diversifying the supply of this valuable silvery-white metal, since lithium is an energy-critical strategic resource, said study co-author Gail Mahood, a professor of geological sciences at Stanford’s School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences.<br /> <br /> “We’re going to have to use electric vehicles and large storage batteries to decrease our carbon footprint,” Mahood said. “It’s important to identify lithium resources in the U.S. so that our supply does not rely on single companies or countries in a way that makes us subject to economic or political manipulation.”<br /> <br /> Supervolcanoes can produce massive eruptions of hundreds to thousands of cubic kilometers of magma – up to 10,000 times more than a typical eruption from a Hawaiian volcano. They also produce vast quantities of pumice and volcanic ash that are spread over wide areas. They appear as huge holes in the ground, known as calderas, rather than the cone-like shape typically associated with volcanoes because the enormous loss of magma causes the roof of the chamber to collapse following eruption.<br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="6157425841" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> The resulting hole often fills with water to form a lake – Oregon’s Crater Lake is a prime example. Over tens of thousands of years, rainfall and hot springs leach out lithium from the volcanic deposits. The lithium accumulates, along with sediments, in the caldera lake, where it becomes concentrated in a clay called hectorite.<br /> <br /> Exploring supervolcanoes for lithium would diversify its global supply. Major lithium deposits are currently mined from brine deposits in high-altitude salt flats in Chile and pegmatite deposits in Australia. The supervolcanoes pose little risk of eruption because they are ancient.<br /> <br /> “The caldera is the ideal depositional basin for all this lithium,” said lead author Thomas Benson, a recent PhD graduate at Stanford Earth, who began working on the study in 2012.<br /> <br /> Since its discovery in the 1800s, lithium has largely been used in psychiatric treatments and nuclear weapons. Beginning in the 2000s, lithium became the major component of lithium-ion batteries, which today provide portable power for everything from cellphones and laptops to electric cars. Volvo Cars recently announced its commitment to only produce new models of its vehicles as hybrids or battery-powered options beginning in 2019, a sign that demand for lithium-ion batteries will continue to increase.<br /> <br /> “We’ve had a gold rush, so we know how, why and where gold occurs, but we never had a lithium rush,” Benson said. “The demand for lithium has outpaced the scientific understanding of the resource, so it’s essential for the fundamental science behind these resources to catch up.”<br /> <br /> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Working backward</span></span></b><br /> <br /> To identify which supervolcanoes offer the best sources of lithium, researchers measured the original concentration of lithium in the magma. Because lithium is a volatile element that easily shifts from solid to liquid to vapor, it is very difficult to measure directly and original concentrations are poorly known.<br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <!-- insidepost --><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="3957834894" style="display: block;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> So, the researchers analyzed tiny bits of magma trapped in crystals during growth within the magma chamber. These “melt inclusions,” completely encapsulated within the crystals, survive the supereruption and remain intact throughout the weathering process. As such, melt inclusions record the original concentrations of lithium and other elements in the magma. Researchers sliced through the host crystals to expose these preserved magma blebs, which are 10 to 100 microns in diameter, then analyzed them with the Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe in the SHRIMP-RG Laboratory at Stanford Earth.<br /> <br /> “Understanding how lithium is transported in magmas and what causes a volcanic center to become enriched in lithium has never really systematically been done before,” Benson said.<br /> <br /> The team analyzed samples from a range of tectonic settings, including the Kings Valley deposit in the McDermitt volcanic field located on the Nevada-Oregon border, which erupted 16.5 to 15.5 million years ago and is known to be rich in lithium. They compared results from this volcanic center with samples from the High Rock caldera complex in Nevada, Sierra la Primavera in Mexico, Pantelleria in the Strait of Sicily, Yellowstone in Wyoming and Hideaway Park in Colorado, and determined that lithium concentrations varied widely as a function of the tectonic setting of the supervolcano.<br /> <br /> “If you have a lot of magma erupting, it doesn’t have to have as much lithium in it to produce something that is worthy of economic interest as we previously thought,” Mahood said. “You don’t need extraordinarily high concentrations of lithium in the magma to form lithium deposits and reserves.”<br /> <br /> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Improving identification</span></b><br /> <br /> In addition to exploring for lithium, the researchers analyzed other trace elements to determine their correlations with lithium concentrations. As a result, they discovered a previously unknown correlation that will now enable geologists to identify candidate supervolcanoes for lithium deposits in a much easier way than measuring lithium directly in melt inclusions. The trace elements can be used as a proxy for original lithium concentration. For example, greater abundance of easily analyzed rubidium in the bulk deposits indicates more lithium, whereas high concentrations of zirconium indicate less lithium.<br /> <br /> “We can essentially use the zirconium content to determine the lithium content within about 100 parts per million,” Benson said. “Now that we have a way to easily find more of these lithium deposits, it shows that this fundamental geological work can help solve societal problems – that’s really exciting.”<br /> <br /> <br /> <u><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The study was published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/10.1038/s41467-017-00234-y" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nature Communications</a>.</span></i></u></div>

Supervolcanoes: A Key to America's Electric Future?

Mica greisen with anomalous lithium content Stanford researchers show that lake sediments preserved within ancient supervolcanoes can...

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Here's How to Make Perfect Diamonds in The Microwave

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5oNwNrxsnS0/WZMVJF-l-kI/AAAAAAAANIA/Urb3be4xkUclyzLxz-OqMQNXu8y_duvmgCLcBGAs/s1600/Here%2527s%2BHow%2Bto%2BMake%2BPerfect%2BDiamonds%2Bin%2BThe%2BMicrowave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5oNwNrxsnS0/WZMVJF-l-kI/AAAAAAAANIA/Urb3be4xkUclyzLxz-OqMQNXu8y_duvmgCLcBGAs/s640/Here%2527s%2BHow%2Bto%2BMake%2BPerfect%2BDiamonds%2Bin%2BThe%2BMicrowave.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> (Credit: Getty Images)</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <br /> Right now, odds are that one in every four diamonds on sale around the world is a blood diamond - mined in a war zone and sold to finance armed conflict and civil war. And for those wanting to steer clear of such a commodity, it’s becoming nearly impossible to figure out the difference between a clean and a dirty diamond.<br /> <br /> Which is why the market for lab-made diamonds is slowly but surely growing, offering a cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and ethically sound option that looks just as pretty as its natural counterpart. "To a modern young consumer, if they get a diamond from above the ground or in the ground, do they really care?" Chaim Even-Zohar from Tacy, an Israel-based diamond consulting firm, points out to Bloomberg Businessweek.<br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="6157425841" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> And nope, these artificial diamonds are nothing like those cheap, lab-grown imitation diamonds, such as cubic zirconia - they have the exact same physical structure and chemical composition as a diamond that’s been pulled out of the ground.<br /> <br /> The process works by placing a tiny fragment of <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2015/09/how-do-diamonds-transport-from-mantle.html" target="_blank">diamond </a>(called a carbon seed) into a microwave along with varying amounts of a carbon-heavy gas - methane is most commonly used. The gas mixture is heated to very high temperatures in the microwave to produce a plasma ball, and inside this, the gas breaks down and the carbon atoms crystallise and accumulate on the diamond seed, causing it to grow. <br /> <br /> The process can take up to 10 weeks to produce a marketable diamond, but it works so well, experts reportedly need a machine to tell the lab-grown gems apart from natural ones sourced from mines or riverbeds.<br /> <br /> So far, synthetic diamonds make up a tiny fraction of the US$80 billion global <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2015/09/the-diamond-cutting-process.html" target="_blank">diamond</a> market, with Bloomberg reporting that in 2014, an estimated 360,000 carats of lab-grown diamonds were manufactured, while about 146 million carats of natural diamonds were mined. <br /> <br /> But if the results of a recent survey - which showed less than half of North American consumers aged between 18 to 35 said they’d prefer a natural diamond - are anything to go by, this is set to change in a hurry.<br /> <br /> It’s estimated that by 2026, the number of lab-made diamonds will skyrocket to 20 million carats, with Wal-Mart and Warren Buffett’s Helzberg Diamonds already starting to stock the synthetic versions.<br /> <br /> Not that the mining companies are willing to let that slice of the market go without a fight. Bloomberg reports that they won a major victory against the labs back in July when the International Organisation for Standardisation ruled that their gems had to be labelled as either “synthetic", "lab-grown", or "lab-created", and never "real". <br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <!-- insidepost --><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="3957834894" style="display: block;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> The companies behind the natural diamonds are hoping their customers will continue to be sold on the ‘romance’ of a stone borne from nature, and will be marketing the unique history of each one over the 'cookie-cutter' feel of the lab-grown <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2015/09/the-diamond-cutting-process.html" target="_blank">diamonds</a>.<br /> <br /> But with price tags as little as half that of natural diamonds - Bloomberg reports that in a New York jewellery store, a 1-carat synthetic diamond can cost about $6,000 there, compared with $10,000 for a similarly sized natural stone - and no ethical questions, the demand will surely be there in some capacity in the future.<br /> <br /> "We are creating a new industry," Vishal Mehta, CEO of IIA Technologies in Singapore, which is reportedly the most prolific producer of synthetic diamonds in the world, told Bloomberg. "Consumers today really resonate with the idea of an eco-friendly and a conflict-free choice for diamonds. That’s been a sticking point."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2016/03/new-form-of-carbon-is-harder-than.html" target="_blank">New Form of Carbon Is Harder than Diamond</a><br /> <br /> <i><u><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The above story is based on <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/here-s-how-you-can-make-perfect-diamonds-in-the-microwave" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">materials </a>provided by Bloomberg Businessweek..</span></u></i></div>

Here's How to Make Perfect Diamonds in The Microwave

 (Credit: Getty Images) Right now, odds are that one in every four diamonds on sale around the world is a blood diamond - mined in a ...

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World's Largest Volcanic Range May Lurk Beneath Antarctic Ice

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kdVEmhotZZA/WZHGna8n49I/AAAAAAAANHw/lwsl6onIY-AoPdkc6UbxiqWTCCSNu-jgQCLcBGAs/s1600/Telefon%2BBay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1534" height="346" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kdVEmhotZZA/WZHGna8n49I/AAAAAAAANHw/lwsl6onIY-AoPdkc6UbxiqWTCCSNu-jgQCLcBGAs/s640/Telefon%2BBay.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Telefon Bay</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">West Antarctica's vast ice sheet conceals what may be the largest volcanic region on earth, research has revealed.</span></i><br /> <br /> The continent's ice covers almost 100 newly discovered volcanoes, the largest of which is as tall as the Eiger in Switzerland, a study has found.<br /> <br /> Geologists and ice experts say the range has many similarities to East Africa's volcanic ridge, which is currently acknowledged to be the densest concentration of volcanoes in the world.<br /> <br /> Researchers from the University of Edinburgh remotely surveyed the underside of the ice sheet for hidden peaks of basalt rock, like those of other volcanoes in the region whose tips push above the ice.<br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="6157425841" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> They analysed the shape of the land beneath the ice using measurements from ice-penetrating radar, and compared the findings with satellite and database records, as well as geological information from aerial surveys.<br /> <br /> Scientists found 91 previously unknown volcanoes, ranging in height from 100 to 3850 metres. The peaks are concentrated in a region known as the West Antarctic Rift System, spanning 3,500 kilometres from Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf to the Antarctic Peninsula.<br /> <br /> Results from the study, which is the first of its kind, will help scientists understand how volcanoes can influence long-term fluctuations in the ice sheet. They could also help improve understanding of how the continent has changed during past climates.<br /> <br /> Their results do not indicate whether the volcanoes are active, but should inform ongoing research into seismic monitoring in the area. Volcanic activity may increase if Antarctica's ice thins, which is likely in a warming climate, scientists say.<br /> <br /> Previous studies and the concentration of volcanoes found in the region together suggest that activity may have occurred in previous warmer periods.<br /> <br /> The study, published in the Geological Society Special Publications series, was proposed by a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Edinburgh.<br /> <br /> Dr Robert Bingham, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, said: "It is fascinating to uncover an extensive range of volcanoes in this relatively unexplored continent. Better understanding of volcanic activity could shed light on their impact on Antarctica's ice in the past, present and future, and on other rift systems around the world."<br /> <br /> Max Van Wyk de Vries, a student at the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, who conceived the study, said: "Antarctica remains among the least studied areas of the globe, and as a young scientist I was excited to learn about something new and not well understood. After examining existing data on West Antarctica, I began discovering traces of volcanism. Naturally I looked into it further, which led to this discovery of almost 100 volcanoes under the ice sheet."<br /> <br /> <br /> <u><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The above story is based on Materials provided by <a href="http://www.ed.ac.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">University of Edinburgh</a>. </span></i></u><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /> </span><br /> <br /></div>

World's Largest Volcanic Range May Lurk Beneath Antarctic Ice

Telefon Bay West Antarctica's vast ice sheet conceals what may be the largest volcanic region on earth, research has revealed. T...

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Where Can You Find Emerald Crystals in The USA?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ApI2tBvt1X0/WZClJwlZ2CI/AAAAAAAANHQ/6UIwbZD-YjYr_fEMU5dAQKKy-laK-BB-gCLcBGAs/s1600/Where%2BCan%2BYou%2BFind%2BEmerald%2Bin%2BTh%2BUSA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ApI2tBvt1X0/WZClJwlZ2CI/AAAAAAAANHQ/6UIwbZD-YjYr_fEMU5dAQKKy-laK-BB-gCLcBGAs/s640/Where%2BCan%2BYou%2BFind%2BEmerald%2Bin%2BTh%2BUSA.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rough Emerald</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <br /> <br /> Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/05/the-different-beryl-varieties-with.html" target="_blank"><b>beryl</b></a>. Beryl is a rare mineral with a chemical composition of Be₃Al₂(SiO₃)₆.  It is rare because beryllium is an element that occurs in very small amounts in the Earth’s crust.<br /> <br /> Even though the conditions for the formation of emerald are very unlikely, the gem has been found in a diversity of rock types. Many of the world's emerald deposits have formed in areas of contact metamorphism. A granitic magma can serve as a source of beryllium, and nearby carbonaceous schist or gneiss can serve as a source of chromium or vanadium.<br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <!-- insidepost --><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-slot="3957834894" style="display: block;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> The emeralds usually form in the schist or gneiss or in the margins of a nearby pegmatite. Mafic and ultramafic rocks can also serve as sources for chromium or vanadium. Emeralds are rarely mined from alluvial deposits. Emerald is usually a fractured stone that does not have the alluvial durability to persist great distances from its source. <br /> <br /> Very few emeralds are mined in the United States. North Carolina has been a sporadic producer of emeralds in small quantities from a few tiny mines since the late 1800s.<br /> <br /> <u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are some places where you can dig some emerald yourself in The USA:</span></u><br /> <br /> <span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crabtree Emerald Mine,  North Carolina</span></b></span><br /> <br /> The Crabtree pegmatite is a beryl (emerald, green beryl, aquamarine and yellow beryl) and tourmaline-bearing granitic pegmatite. Emerald and green beryl occurs in the biotite and chlorite selvage and the pegmatite margin. Aquamarine and yellow beryl occurs in the pegmatite core. <a href="http://www.emeraldvillage.com/rates-dates/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fees and Info.</a><br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="6157425841" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> <br /> <span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hiddenite Gem Mines, North Carolina</span></b></span><br /> <br /> Famously popular, Hiddenite Gem Mines is known for the discovery of some of the largest gems in the world. Comprised of several mines, Hiddenite Gem Mine’s group includes Emerald Hollow Mine—which is open for public mining—Adams Mine and NAEM (North American Emerald Mine). At this Great Smoky Mountain-area mine in Franklin, North Carolina, about 60 miles southwest of Blowing Rock, you might find rubies, sapphires, garnets, and rutile. Your admission fee gets you two buckets, a screen box, and a seat cushion, which you use at the flume line. For a dollar extra, you can get a shade umbrella. Admission: $15 for ages 12 and up, $10 for kids 6 to 11; free for ages 5 </div> <br /> <span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gold ‘N Gem Grubbin’, Georgia</span></b></span><br /> <br /> Gold n Gem Grubbin began in Cleveland, Georgia in 1984.  It started as a commercial gold mine and opened to the public in 1984.  We have happily served the public since with an old fashioned philosophy...customer service!  You can Find Gold, Gemstones (Rubies, Emeralds, Sapphires, Amethyst, Garnets). <a href="http://www.goldngemgrubbinstore.com/Mine-at-Creek.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fees and Info.</a><br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Old Mine Plaza construction site, Long Hill, Trumbull,  Connecticut</span></b></span><br /> <br /> A well-known construction site locality bordering the NW side of Old Mine Park (Hubbard) Tungsten Mine, both sites have a mineral assemblage unique to the state. Cross-cutting veins contain the same muscovite-topaz-fluorite var. chlorophane-quartz assemblage found in the surrounding area. Light green beryl was also found in small granite pegmatite stringers less than 7 cm wide.<br /> <br /> <span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Other Places: </span></b></span><br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li>Oreana Tungsten mine, Rye Patch District, Pershing Co., <b>Nevada</b></li> <li>Fontana Reservoir Beryl Deposit, Swain Co., <b>North Carolina</b></li> <li>Makarah Outcrop, Sangre de Cristo Mts, Taos Co.,<b> New Mexico</b></li> </ul> <br /> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">See Also: </span></b><br /> <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2016/09/top-spots-for-gem-hunting-in-us.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Part I: Top Spots For Gem Hunting In The US</b> </span></a><br /> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/02/part-ii-top-spots-for-gem-hunting-in-us.html" target="_blank">Part II: Top Spots For Gem Hunting In The US </a></span></b><br /> <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/06/where-and-how-to-find-lake-superior.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is Lake Superior Agate, and Where Can You Find It? </span></b></a><br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/p/with-literally-hundreds-of-places.html" target="_blank">Top 2017 Mineral shows In the USA </a></b></span></div>

Where Can You Find Emerald Crystals in The USA?

Rough Emerald Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl . Beryl is a rare mineral with a chemical composition of Be ...

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A Huge Gold Nugget Weighing Over 10kg Has Been Unearthed in Russia

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C_A9PjnKvf8/WY8jg-OEG_I/AAAAAAAANHA/VBb2W5-E1hgIrQTeUqT6QWnPW358dN9EQCLcBGAs/s1600/A%2Bnugget%2Bweighing%2Bjust%2Bover%2B10kg%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2Bor%2B1.6%2Bstone%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2Bwas%2Bunearthed%2Bin%2BRussia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C_A9PjnKvf8/WY8jg-OEG_I/AAAAAAAANHA/VBb2W5-E1hgIrQTeUqT6QWnPW358dN9EQCLcBGAs/s640/A%2Bnugget%2Bweighing%2Bjust%2Bover%2B10kg%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2Bor%2B1.6%2Bstone%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2Bwas%2Bunearthed%2Bin%2BRussia.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A HUGE gold nugget weighing more than one and a half STONE has been unearthed in Russia.</span></b><br /> <br /> An unnamed bulldozer operator was site levelling at the Zarya cooperative mine in the remote south-eastern region this week when he chanced upon the precious metal.<br /> <br /> Officials confirmed the find and said the 22.7 lbs nugget is the largest piece ever found in the gold-rich area.<br /> <br /> The next largest discovery was a nugget found in 2011 which weighed 16.5 lbs.<br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="6157425841" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> Nikolay Ischuk, the regional nature minister, said the bulldozer left a scrape mark on the precious ingot.<br /> <br /> He said: “Based on the colour of the stone, we can assume that the level of gold sample is likely to be high.”<br /> <br /> The current gold price is at roughly $40,000 per kilo — meaning the nugget could be worth over £300,000.<br /> <br /> A commentator who dubbed himself Doktor Pilulkin said online: “Stupid people do indeed get lucky. I wonder if he got anything as a reward for what he found?!”<br /> <br /> Another added: “At least they did not fine him for finding something like that. Cuz they could have…”<br /> <br /> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/" target="_blank">GeologyIN</a></span></b> </div>

A Huge Gold Nugget Weighing Over 10kg Has Been Unearthed in Russia

A HUGE gold nugget weighing more than one and a half STONE has been unearthed in Russia. An unnamed bulldozer operator was site level...

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This Could Be the Most Expensive Tourmaline Ever

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SMim9qUnROM/WY8G9EwP-eI/AAAAAAAANGs/Gz_Q7KTqne0jNmSuWNetXRN_qn_CNGHwQCLcBGAs/s1600/This%2BCould%2BBe%2Bthe%2BMost%2BExpensive%2BTourmaline%2BEver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="734" height="476" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SMim9qUnROM/WY8G9EwP-eI/AAAAAAAANGs/Gz_Q7KTqne0jNmSuWNetXRN_qn_CNGHwQCLcBGAs/s640/This%2BCould%2BBe%2Bthe%2BMost%2BExpensive%2BTourmaline%2BEver.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Astro Gallery of Gems</td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">IS THIS RARE Mineral WORTH $1.2 MILLION?</span></b><br /> <br /> Long ago, below the surface of what we now call Brazil, a slender blade of pink <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/04/where-does-watermelon-tourmaline-come.html" target="_blank">tourmaline</a>, a semi-precious gemstone, pierced the top of a pink-and-blue tourmaline to create a natural wonder. Found in the Pederneira Mine in 2011, the unusual rock was special enough to merit a name: the Great Divide. Now it’s being offered to one lucky buyer for the jaw-dropping price of $1.2 million.<br /> <br /> “It’s an iconic piece, and one of the finest to come out of the Pederneira Mine,” says Dennis Tanjeloff, CEO and president of Astro Gallery of Gems, the Manhattan dealer offering the rare rock.<br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="6157425841" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> Discovering the Great Divide was the first bit of luck. Taking it out of the mine intact was another. “What gives the tourmaline specimen value is removing it from the pocket without damage,” Tanjeloff says. “It’s very difficult to remove without breaking the tourmaline.”<br /> <br /> Unlike other examples, the Great Divide required only a single repair: a barely-visible stitch on the right side of the tourmaline blade. The <a href="http://www.geologyin.com/2017/02/14-facts-you-should-know-about-minerals.html" target="_blank">specimen </a>itself is relatively large at 6 inches by 7 inches by 7 inches, and includes albite (an opaque white material) and lepedolite (a lilac-gray mineral abundant in lithium). There’s not another one like it on earth.<br /> <br /> “One thing that’s great about minerals is, like humans, they’re all unique,” says Tanjeloff. Whether this especially unique specimen can fetch the astronomical price that Tanjeloff has placed on it, of course, remains the million-dollar question.<br /> <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BNbqW6b-suc/WY8HF9z4wSI/AAAAAAAANGw/9gP-KosUwcw6TCsUcvEtlkiZsL2zL34mACLcBGAs/s1600/19990338_1592487360784461_3706555707822452079_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="958" height="516" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BNbqW6b-suc/WY8HF9z4wSI/AAAAAAAANGw/9gP-KosUwcw6TCsUcvEtlkiZsL2zL34mACLcBGAs/s640/19990338_1592487360784461_3706555707822452079_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Astro Gallery of Gems</td></tr> </tbody></table>  <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><a href="http://www.geologyin.com/" target="_blank">GeologyIN</a></b></span></span></div>

This Could Be the Most Expensive Tourmaline Ever

Credit: Astro Gallery of Gems IS THIS RARE Mineral WORTH $1.2 MILLION? Long ago, below the surface of what we now call Brazil, a sle...

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The Largest and Most Significant Black Crystal Ever Found

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--_LABe-b0OI/WYikKxJiu7I/AAAAAAAAND0/2nHCDk-E67cetCNVLzVkL11vwR_ndQHVgCLcBGAs/s1600/The%2BEternal%2BFlame%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2BThe%2BWorld%25E2%2580%2599s%2BRarest%2BOpal%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--_LABe-b0OI/WYikKxJiu7I/AAAAAAAAND0/2nHCDk-E67cetCNVLzVkL11vwR_ndQHVgCLcBGAs/s640/The%2BEternal%2BFlame%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2BThe%2BWorld%25E2%2580%2599s%2BRarest%2BOpal%2B2.jpg" width="604" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> A mammoth 568 carats “The Eternal Flame” is the largest and most significant black crystal ever found. What makes it even rarer is its origin. The volcanic soils of coastal New South Wales, Australia are replete with bands of obsidian and quartz but only small finds of volcanic opal – nothing like the great inland fields of Lightning Ridge, Coober Pedy and Queensland.<br /> <br /> Full of fire and wonder it glows like a prehistoric magic flame and harks back to a time when the earth was undergoing massive geological upheaval. The colour is unflinching and majestic, daring you to find an inferior angle. It holds a power that is bewitching. <br /> <div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 100%;"> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1021498709184325" data-ad-format="fluid" data-ad-layout="in-article" data-ad-slot="6157425841" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></ins><br /> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /></div> The volcanic region of eastern Australia created the most unusual of all Australian opals. Tintenbar crystal is volcanic and ethereal. The opal fire is soft and gem edges are water worn, indicating an alluvial nature. The pieces found are usually small under 10 carats. They are collectors oddities for the most part.<br /> <br /> By contrast “The Eternal Flame” is so named for the fire which burns bright within.  A large piece of black crystal opal it rivals the best of any found on the fields of Lightning Ridge. Stored dry in a vault, forgotten for over 40 years, the opal remains in pristine condition with no water wear. Opal experts including us have never seen anything like it and could not conceive of such an opal existing.<br /> <br /> <br /> <u><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The above story is based on materials provided by <a href="http://blackopaldirect.com/blog/worlds-rarest-opal-video-part-2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Black Opal Direct</a>.</span></i></u></div>

The Largest and Most Significant Black Crystal Ever Found

A mammoth 568 carats “The Eternal Flame” is the largest and most significant black crystal ever found. What makes it even rarer is its ...

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