What is the rarest mineral on Earth?
Researchers say that kyawthuite and painite are the rarest minerals on Earth. More specifically , both can only be found in Myanmar.
Minerals are scattered all over the planet, from sparkling flecks in gravel or sand to actual gems hidden beneath. According to the Geological Society of America, minerals are naturally occurring inorganic elements or compounds that do not contain carbon.
Each mineral is a unique combination of structures and has some very interesting chemical compositions. As a result, the crystal form of the mineral, as well as its other physical properties, vary greatly, making each mineral unique and rare.
Many people have witnessed the mystical beauty of quartz with their own eyes and even consider them to be the rarest mineral on Earth.
Super rare minerals
However, according to Live Science, the rarest mineral on Earth is recognized as kyawthuite . So far, researchers only know of a single kyawthuite crystal found in the Mogok region of Myanmar.
The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) mineral database describes kyawthuite as a small, deep orange gemstone weighing 1.61 karat and was officially recognized by the International Mineralogical Association in 2015.
However, due to the small number of specimens, researchers have not yet found much information about the structure and composition of kyawthuite.
The only kyawthuite ever found on Earth. (Photo: Los Angeles Museum of Natural History).
Notably, in addition to kyawthuite, the second rarest mineral in the world is also found in Myanmar called painite which appears as deep red hexagonal crystals.
Although painite is easier to find today than it used to be, the mineral is still extremely rare and its chemical structure remains a scientific mystery.
According to George Rossman, a professor of mineralogy at Caltech who has studied painite since the 1980s, in 1952, British gem collector Arthur Pain acquired two red stones in Myanmar.
Painite is extremely rare and is priced up to $60,000/carat, the less blemishes the higher the value. (Photo: Geology In).
Pain at that time thought that these crystals were just rubies, which are very famous in Myanmar, and was unaware that they were actually something much rarer.
The name painite was later given to this rare mineral after Arthur's family name . Mistaken for a ruby, the collector later donated it to the British Museum in 1954 for further study.
In 1979, another specimen was found in Myanmar. As of 2001, these were the only three known painite specimens in the world.
Painite then became more common and crystals began to appear more frequently, especially in 2005. Most painite can now be found in the Wet Loo and Therein Taung regions of Myanmar.
Arthur Pain's painite sample was later analyzed by Rossman and formally published in the journal Mineralogy in 2018.
In his research, Rossman discovered that there was an error in the original chemical composition determined by scientists at the British Museum. While they had correctly identified aluminum, boron, calcium, and oxygen, the element zirconium was missing.
Rossman also found small amounts of vanadium and chromium in painite, which explains why the mineral has a deep ruby red color.
Small amounts of vanadium and chromium in painite give the mineral its deep ruby-red color. (Photo: Luxe).
Aside from being found only in Myanmar, the real reason painite is so rare lies in its formation . Specifically, painite is a borate crystal, meaning it contains boron .
In theory, boron is extremely difficult to combine with zirconium. However, painite is the only mineral in which these two elements can combine naturally . This is also a mystery that researchers have not yet been able to find the reason.
Rossman also added that zirconium and boron cannot exist together at such high densities. In addition, their states when close together are not as stable as when combined with other elements.
Why Myanmar?
Rossman also questioned why painite and many other gemstones, such as kyawthuite, are found only in Myanmar.
As the ancient supercontinent Gondwana began to break apart about 180 million years ago, India moved north and collided with what is now South Asia. The pressure and heat from the collision formed a treasure trove of extremely rare minerals, many of which are gemstones.
With this hypothesis, Rossman suggests that the boron in painite and other borate minerals may have come from shallow seas surrounding the newly formed land mass.
The Caltech professor said he has had many gem specimens sent to him for identification as painite, some of which have been stored for decades, as they are often stored in rough bags or misidentified by dealers and collectors.
Rossman said it is difficult to find the right type of painite for luxury jewelry because it is extremely rare and fetches up to $60,000 per carat, with the fewer blemishes the higher the value.
The pressure and heat from the collision when the ancient supercontinent Gondwana began to break apart about 180 million years ago created a treasure trove of extremely rare minerals, many of which are gemstones. (Photo: AAP).
There are also ethical concerns about mining in Myanmar, which is also famous for its many other gemstones and specimens of tiny prehistoric creatures trapped in amber.
- The only specimen of Earth's rarest mineral
- The most abundant mineral on Earth has its name
- This is the rarest element in the Earth, not yet observed, it has disappeared into nowhere!
- 200-year-old mineral water bottle
- Japan found a huge source of rare earth in the sea
- Earth's stratigraphic movement is associated with sediment
- Japan discovered huge treasure, enough for hundreds of years
- Experts advise not to use mineral water for cooking
- Top 7 rarest amazing natural phenomena in the world, only wish to see once in a lifetime
- Discovering new features of Thanh Thuy hot mineral water
- Giant sea signs exist under the Earth's crust
- The Earth used to be a