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Mars conceals sapphire deposits
The Perseverance rover team discovered the mineral corundum on the surface of Mars for the first time. Corundum is the mineral from which gemstones like ruby and sapphire are formed on Earth. Led by geochemist Ann Olilla, the team found corundum grains in three rock samples near the Gusev Crater. Laser analysis revealed properties consistent with chromium-bearing corundum, the element that gives ruby its red color. The presence of this mineral raises questions about Mars’s geological conditions, as corundum typically forms in aluminum-rich, silicon-poor environments. Researchers believe that an ancient impact involving heat, pressure, and hot fluids may have contributed to its formation, but identifying its source requires further investigation or the collection of samples from the original rocks.
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