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Spring 2015 Volume 5, Number 4
Newsletter of the Department of Mineral Sciences
| Rocks ∙ Meteorites ∙ Gems ∙ Volcanoes ∙ Minerals |
In this Issue
Mineral Science webcast
stars
New Rock and Mineral
Acquisitions
The highly successful webcast Smithsonian ScienceHow?, now in its second season, featured
three scientists from the Department of Mineral Sciences. Cara Santelli, Michael Wise and
Tim McCoy each par ticipated in two 25-minute live programs that highlighted their particu-
lar research interests. Cara, a geomicrobiologist, studies the relationship between minerals and microbes, such as bacteria and fungi. In her webcast program (Mineral Transformations - De-
mystifying Microbes) Cara explained what microbes are, what defines a mineral and how the
two are connected. According to Cara, microbes live everywhere and are not all bad as some
might think. In fact, they are important microorganisms that play a significant role in the pro-
duction of some minerals (biominerals) and in the cleanup or remediation of polluted sites
such as abandoned coal mines.
Cara Santelli (r ight) shows host Maggy Benson (left) an example of mineral-producing fungi that was
grown in the Department of Mineral Sciences’ geomicrobiology lab.
Page 2
Chair of Mineral Sciences
Jeffrey Post
Newsletter Editor
Michael Wise
Dept. of Mineral Sciences
MRC 119
Volume 5, Number 4 Spring 2015
Education & Outreach
Meteoriticist Tim McCoy’s webcast (Astrogeology - Meteorites and Spacecraft Missions)
focused on what meteorites can tell us about the formation of the solar system. Tim addressed
how meteorites are identified and classified, and where meteorites come from. Tim also spoke
about meteorite falls, such as the 2010 Lorton, Va event and the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteorite that
fell in Russia. The show concluded with Tim discussing his work on a number of spacecraft
missions including the Martian exploration rovers Spirit and Opportunity and a new planned mis-
sion to an asteroid scheduled to launch in 2016.
Tim McCoy (r ight) holds a sample of the 4 billion year -old Martian meteorite Allan Hills 84001
(commonly abbreviated ALH84001) which is currently stored in the National Meteorite Collection.
Michael Wise (r ight) holds a sample of liddicoatite, a uniquely zoned tourmaline, that was collected
from a pegmatite in Madagascar.
Geologist Michael Wise talked about the unusual rocks known as pegmatites in the webcast
Mineral Dependence - Gemstones to Cellphones. Mike explained how these rocks, which are
characterized by “giant” crystals and a host of rare-elements, are formed and how humans are
dependent on some of the resources, like gemstones and rare metals, that are mined from these
special rocks.
Page 3
New faces in DMS
Volume 5, Number 4 Spring 2015
Post-doctoral fellow, Laura Waters
completed her PhD degree in Igneous
Geochemistry and Experimental Petrology from the University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, working on
determining the origins of phenocryst-
poor glassy rhyolite-obsidians through
detailed petrographic and experimental
investigation of phenocrysts within
those lavas. Laura’s research at the
Smithsonian is an experimental study
that utilizes both the Robert Smith
Obsidian Collection and the externally
heated cold-seal pressure vessels in the
hydrothermal lab of Ben Andrews, to
constrain and quantify the kinetic pro-
cesses that result in the crystallization of sparse phenocrysts and allow for the ascent and erup-
tion of lavas that consists of >97% glass. This work, funded by the Peter Buck Postdoctoral
Fellowship, will ultimately provide insights into the conditions within the crust where efficient-
crystal liquid separation occurs, which will limit possible mechanisms by which differentiation
occurs in the Earth. The results of the experimental series conducted at the National Museum of
Natural History will also quantify kinetics of feldspar phenocryst growth and may be applied to
natural systems as a speedometer that may be applied to determine ascent rates of natural sam-
ples (e.g., the Robert Smith Obsidian Collection). Lastly, the experimental series will provide
water-saturated phase equilibrium experiments, from which mineral-melt compositions may be
collected and used for calibration of thermodynamic hygrometers.
Post-doctoral fellow, Mattia Pistone completed his PhD degree in Earth Sciences (Igneous
Petrology, Physical Volcanology, Rock Physics) at ETH – Zurich, Switzerland, working on
physical properties of multiphase magmas. Mattia performed his first postdoctoral fellowship at
the University of Bristol, United Kingdom, work-
ing on the influence of volatiles on the interaction
between mafic and felsic magmas in the Earth’s
crust. Mattia’s research at the Smithsonian
(started last November 2014) focuses on simulat-
ing liquid lines of descent of calc-alkaline basaltic
magmas from Alaska-Aleutians. This project,
currently sponsored by NSF as part of the Ge-
oPRISMS, is aimed at determining experimental-
ly how water and oxygen fugacity control magma
differentiation in arc-related settings characterised
by young and thin continental crust (i.e. no crustal
assimilation involved), such as that of the Alaska-
Aleutians. The project will also include fieldwork
in the Western Aleutians where the experimental
and analytical results will be tested and compared
with natural rock specimens and structures. In the
next year of the interdisciplinary fellowship,
Mattia will work with Elizabeth Cottrell (DMS),
Katherine A. Kelley (University of Rhode Island)
and Matthew G. Jackson (UC Santa Barbara).
Page 4 Volume 5, Number 4 Spring 2015
New Acquisitions
Five new mineral specimens from the famous
Hiddenite emerald locality (North Carolina)
have recently been added to the National
Mineral Collection. The newly acquired
specimens include the carbonate minerals
siderite (right - 9 cm across), calcite (lower
right - 7 cm across) and dolomite (lower left -
13 cm across). All of these are commonly
associated with emerald from the North
American Emerald Mine. Photos by Michael
Wise.
A very nice collection of komatiites from Gor-
gona Island, Columbia has been added to the Mu-
seum’s Rock and Ore Collection. Komatiites are
rare and unusual volcanic rocks that are primarily
composed of the minerals pyroxene and olivine.
They are characterized by their unique “spinifex
texture” that consists of needle-like or blades of
olivine crystals which indicates rapid growth of
the mineral. Komatiites are not produced by mod-
ern-day volcanic eruptions, but are primarily
found in Earth’s mantle. The beautiful komatiite
from Gorgona Island is the youngest komatiite
formation known on the planet.
Upper photo: Field shot of a komatiite flow. Elon-
gated white crystals of olivine displaying
“spinifex texture”. Bottom photo: Close-up of
criss-crossed olivine crystals. Horizontal field of
view= 2.2 mm. Photos courtesy of Lina María
Echeverría.
Page 5 Volume 5, Number 4 Spring 2015
Bullock, E.S., Tenner , T.J ., Nakashima, D.,
Kita, N.T., MacPherson, G.J., Ivanova,
M.A., Krot, A.N., Petaev, M.I. & Jacobsen,
S.B. (2015) High precision Al-Mg systemat-
ics of forsterite-bearing Type B CAIs.
Corrigan, C.M., Lunning, N.G. & Ziegler ,
K. (2015) An H chondrite melt clast in an LL
chondrite: evidence for mixing of ordinary
chondrite parent bodies.
Corrigan, C.M. & Velbel, M.A. (2015) Na-
khlite Northwest Africa (NWA) 5790: discus-
sions on cooling rate, oxidation state and lack
of alteration.
Craddock, R.A. & Rose, T. (2015) Charac-
teristics of basaltic particles transported by
different geologic processes.
Davidson, J., Alexander, C.M.O'D., Schrader,
D.L., Nittler , L.R. & Bowden, R. (2015)
Miller Range 090657: A very pristine Re-
nazzo-like (CR) carbonaceous chondrite.
Fu, R.R., Weiss, B.P. & Schrader, D.L.,
(2015) Magnetic fields in the late-stage solar
nebula recorded in CR chondrites.
Goreva, Y.G., Allums, K.K., Gonzalez,
C.P., Jurewicz, A.J., Burnett, D.S., Allton,
J.H., Kuhlman, K.R. & Woolum, D. (2015)
Genesis solar wind collector cleaning assess-
ment: update on 60336 sample case study.
Hollister, L.S., MacPherson, G.J., Bindi, L.,
Lin, C., Guan, Y., Yao, N., Eiler, J.M. &
Steinhardt, P.J. (2015) Redox reactions be-
tween Cu-Al metal and silicates in the
Khatyrka meteorite.
Ivanova, M.A., Krot, A.N., MacPherson,
G.J. (2015) Genetic link between fluffy
Type A, compact Type A and Type B CAIs
from CV3 chondrites NWA 3118 and
Efremovka.
Lunning, N.G., Corrigan, C.M., McSween,
H.Y., Tenner, T.J. & Kita, N.T. (2015) Im-
pact melting of CV and CM chondrites.
MacPherson, G.J., Nagashima, K., Krot,
A.N., Doyle, P.M. & Ivanova, M.A. (2015) 53Mn-53Cr systematics of Ca-Fe silicates in
CV3 chondrites.
McAdam, M. M., Sunshine, J.M., Howard, K.
T., McCoy T.J., Alexander, C.M.O'D. & Da-
vidson, J. (2015) Aqueous alteration in CR
meteorites as seen with VIS/NIR and MIR
spectroscopy.
McCoy, T.J., Gardner -Vandy, K.G., Bull-
ock, E.S. & Corrigan, C.M. (2015) Low-
temperature, disequilibrium partial melting of
CV chondrites: insights into the early stages
of core formation.
Schrader, D.L., McCoy, T.J. & Davidson,
J. (2015) Widespread evidence for high-
temperature formation of pentlandite in chon-
drites.
Simkus, D.N., Goreva, Y.G., McCoy, T.J. &
Herd, C.D.K. (2015) ToF-SIMS analysis of
prebiotic organic compounds in the Murchi-
son meteorite.
Waeselmann, N., Humayun, M., Goreva,
Y.S., Burnett, D.S. & Jurewicz, A. (2015)
Impact of acid-cleaning on the solar wind
layer of Genesis flight wafers—partial disso-
lution and recovery of the lithium–6 implant.
Whallon, E.J., Craddock, R.A., Crowe, D. &
Rose, T. (2015) Analyses of basaltic sedi-
ments subjected to wave erosion and their
implications for past Martian coastal process-
es.
Meetings & Abstracts
Page 6 Volume 5, Number 4
Bindi, L., Yao, N., Lin, C., Hollister, L.S.,
Andronicos, C.L., Distler, V.V., Eddy, M.P.,
Kostin, A., Kryachko, V., MacPherson, G.J.,
Steinhardt, W.M., Yudovskaya, M. & Stein-
hardt, P.J. (2015) Natural quasicrystal with
decagonal symmetry. Scientific Reports, 5,
9111; doi:10.1038/srep09111.
Bryson, K.L., Salama, F., Elsaesser, A.,
Peeters, Z., Ricco, A.J., Foing, B.H. &
Goreva, Y. (2015). Fir st results of the OR-
GANIC experiment on EXPOSE-R on the
ISS. International Journal of Astrobiology,
14, Special Issue 1, 55-66.
Carn, S.A., Yang, K., Prata, A.J . & Krot-
kov, N.A. (2015) Extending the long-term
record of volcanic SO2 emissions with the
Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite nadir map-
per. Geophysical Research Letters, 42, 925–
932.
Hwang, G.C., Post, J.E. & Lee, Y. (2015) In
situ high-pressure synchrotron X-ray powder
diffraction study of tunnel manganese oxide
minerals: hollandite, romanechite, and
todorokite. Physics and Chemistry of Miner-
als, 42, 405-411.
Jay, J.A., Delgado, F.J ., Torres, J .L.,
Pritchard, M.E., Macedo, O. & Aguilar, V.
(2015) Deformation and seismicity near
Sabancaya Volcano, southern Peru, from
2002-2015. Geophysical Research Letters,
42, 2780-2788.
Kristiansen, N.I., Prata, A.J., Stohl, A. &
Carn, S.A. (2015) Stratospher ic volcanic
ash emissions from the 13 February 2014
Kelut eruption. Geophysical Research Letters,
42, 588–596.
McCoy, T.J., Beck, A.W., Prettyman, T.H.
& Mittlefehldt, D.W. (2015) Asteroid (4)
Vesta II: Exploring a geologically and geo-
chemically complex world with the Dawn
Mission. Chemie Der Erde - Geochemistry,
doi:10.1016/j.chemer.2014.12.001
Peterson, K.M., Heaney, P.J., Post, J.E. &
Eng, Peter J. (2015) A refined monoclinic
structure for a variety of "hydrohematite".
American Mineralogist, 100, 570-579.
Spring 2015
Selected Publications
Michael Wise was quoted in a Smithsonian Science News online ar ticle descr ibing re-
search on an unknown mineral from the Merelani tanzanite occurrence in Tanzania. The min-
eral is a molybdenum-lead sulfide and was first discovered in 2012 by Mike and an intern. The
mineral is unusual in its morphology and textural features and is unlike anything previously
described from the Merelani locality. You can read more about the ongoing research at http://
smithsonianscience.org/2015/04/rolled-up-mystery-mineral-may-cause-craving-for-piroulines/.
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