There are around the world 6,000 minerals It is recognized by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA). They are formed by multiple processes and are often distributed in different parts of the world, sometimes very restricted. However, no matter what, it is not normal to find a single sample of a particular mineral.
Even once a mineral has formed, it can easily break down and spread over a wide area. In conclusion, It is somewhat surprising that a mineral is known from a single sample.
And yet, this is the case with crystal. kyawthuite: There is only a small fragment of it on the entire planet, or at least only one has been found so far.
This unique piece of kyawthuite was found in the form of a precious stone near Mogok (Myanmar) and was recognized by the IMA in 2015.
Previously, had almost the same synthetic compoundbut the only natural specimen is kept in the building of the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles (USA).
Less than one centimeter in length
Kyawthuite is transparent reddish orange in color and the single piece available is less than one centimeter in length and Its weight is 1.61 carats (0.3 grams). Its chemical formula is Bi3+Sb5+O4 with trace amounts of tantalum. Both bismuth and antimony are rare metals, but they are not as rare as you might think.
There is more bismuth in the earth’s crust than gold, while antimony is more abundant than silver, the FLScience portal reported. Oxygen is the most abundant element in the crust, so Kyawthuite’s rarity has to do with the method by which it was created.more than just the scarcity of its ingredients.
Bismuth is such a heavy element that the density of kyawthuite is more than eight times that of water (and twice that of the somewhat similar ruby), making the stone even smaller than its weight would suggest.
It is the only well-known bismuth-antimony oxide and It is named after former geologist Professor Kyaw Thu at Yangon University (Myanmar).
The Kyawthuite specimen was found in a stream bed by sapphire hunters and was certified as a distinctive mineral by the IMA in 2015. Its scientific description was published in 2017.
Another strange mineral
But this Asian country is not only the cradle of this interesting mineral. Myanmar is also the source of the second rarest mineral. so-called stone of pain, A precious stone of which only a few pieces have been found.
Speaking to LiveScience, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) professor George Rossman explained the abundance of precious stones in Myanmar. Pressure and heat created when India collided with Asia.
But this is a country that has been subject to decades of wars and international sanctions; It is likely that many examples of these rare and exceptional gemstones will fall into non-scientific hands, thereby depriving humanity of such extraordinary geological treasures.
………….
Contact address of the environmental department:[email protected]