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iscover hidden gems in volcanic lava and discover why certain minerals are embedded in lava glass
Volcanic lava is not only an amazing sight of molten rock, they also hold many clues to the mysteries of the Earth's interior. Among them, some of the gems and minerals hidden in the lava glass have given geologists a deeper understanding of the evolution, composition and volcanic activity of the Earth. These minerals, such as pyroxene, are important components of many igneous and metamorphic rocks, and their chemical composition and structure reflect their formation process deep in the mantle.
Pyroxene is a major group of rock-forming minerals with the universal chemical formula XY(Si,Al)2O6, where X represents calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), or magnesium (Mg). These minerals, with their wonderful crystalline structures, were already formed in the lava before the volcano erupted, and may have been sealed in the volcanic flow as the lava cooled.
The Earth's upper mantle is mainly composed of the minerals olivine and pyroxene, and pyroxene can be found in almost all volcanic eruptions. The structure of pyroxene consists of parallel chains of negatively charged silicon tetrahedrons connected by metal cations. Each silicon ion is surrounded by four oxygen ions forming a tetrahedron, a property that makes pyroxene quite stable in a variety of geographical and chemical environments.
Structure and chemical composition of pyroxene
Pyroxene is the most common of the single-chain silicate minerals. These single-chain structures give pyroxene a rich variety of chemical compositions, which the researchers named based on the configuration of seats they occupy. For example, the X (or M2) position is in octahedral coordination, and the Y (or M1) position is a cation surrounded by six oxygen atoms. Its softness enables pyroxene to accommodate various cations, including sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, etc.
The name pyroxene comes from the ancient Greek word meaning "stranger of fire" because they are often found in volcanic rocks and retain their crystalline form as the lava cools.
In these lava glasses, pyroxene is often thought of as impurities, but in fact, they are present because they were formed before the lava erupted. This makes pyroxene a key to understanding chemical changes in the Earth's mantle and the cooling of lava.
Volcanism and pyroxene
The outpouring of gas and lava from volcanic eruptions affects the formation and type of pyroxene. For example, when lava contains higher amounts of calcium, pyroxene crystallizes in a different form, which results in different types of pyroxene, such as clinopyroxene and clinopyroxene, appearing in the rock.
According to the International Mineralogical Association, the chemical composition of pyroxenes is diverse and affected by melting conditions, which determine their solid-state phase changes and joint substitution mechanisms.
The study found that the presence of multiple different pyroxene compositions deep in the Earth's mantle led to the formation of different crystallization patterns in different volcanic environments. Not only does this make the rock samples from each eruption unique, it also helps geologists understand never-before-seen patterns of volcanic activity.
Hidden gems: finding inspiration in pyroxene
The presence of pyroxene in volcanoes may be an opportunity to see the evolution of the Earth's interior through them. These minerals embedded in lava glass are direct witnesses to the history of the earth and can provide precious evidence of ancient volcanic activity. The composition and crystallization behavior of these minerals not only reflect the geological processes of the Earth, but also reveal the thermodynamic processes in the deep Earth.
With the advancement of science and technology, scientists continue to deepen their research on these hidden gems, allowing us to understand the earth better. Their existence reminds us of the journey of pursuing nature and wonder, and there are more unknowns waiting for us to explore ahead. Will all this change our view of volcanoes?
