《中英對照讀新聞》Mysterious Mineral from Earth’s Mantle Discovered in South African Diamond 南非的鑽石內發現來自地函的神秘礦物
地球科學期刊《美國礦物學家》9月1日刊登的最新研究,發現在南非火山區出產的鑽石,罕見地捕獲到針銀碲金礦。(取自網路)
◎劉宜庭
A single grain of rock lodged in a diamond contains a never-before-found mineral. And that newfound substance could reveal unusual chemical reactions unfolding in the depths of the mantle, the layer of Earth that lies between the planet’s crust and outer core. The entire mantle is about 1,802 miles (2,900 km) thick.
包裹在一塊鑽石內的小晶粒,含有一種此前從未在鑽石內發現的礦物。這項新發現有望揭示地函深處發生的不尋常化學反應,地球地函位在行星地殼與外地核之間。地球地函的總厚度約1802英里(2900公里)。
Scientists unearthed the mineral from a volcanic site in South Africa known as the Koffiefontein pipe. Shining diamonds speckle the dark, igneous rock that lines the pipe, and the diamonds themselves contain tiny bits of other minerals from hundreds of miles beneath Earth’s surface. Within one of these sparkling stones, scientists found a dark green, opaque mineral that they estimated was forged about 105 miles (170 kilometers) underground.
科學家從南非一處名為「科菲芬丹火山管」的火山區挖出這種礦物。閃閃發亮的鑽石散布在火山管內暗色的火成岩之中,鑽石本身則含有其他來自地表下數百英里的微小礦物。在其中一塊閃亮的石頭內,科學家發現一種暗綠色、不透明的礦物,他們估計這種礦物生成在地底下105英里(170公里)處。
Scientists noted that, for a mantle mineral, goldschmidtite has a peculiar chemical composition.
科學家指出,對地函礦物而言,「針銀碲金礦」具有獨特的化學組成。
新聞辭典
diamond:名詞,鑽石、菱形。例句:The intense pressure and heat in the upper mantle transform humble carbon deposits into sparkling diamonds.(上部地函的高溫高壓,會將不起眼的碳沉積,轉變成閃亮的鑽石。)
goldschmidtite:礦物名,針銀碲金礦。例句:Goldschmidtite has high concentrations of niobium, potassium and the rare-earth elements lanthanum and cerium.(針銀碲金礦含有高濃度的鈮、鉀及稀土元素鑭和鈰。)
mantle:名詞,地函、地幔。例句:The mantle is composed mostly of silicate rocks rich in magnesium and iron.(地函主要由富含鎂、鐵的矽酸鹽岩石組成。)
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