Scientists search for minerals for electric vehicles at the bottom of an ancient ocean

Researchers from the University of Queensland have developed a new method for finding potential deposits.

minerals necessary for the operation of renewableenergy. Scientists have studied the remains of the ocean floor in eastern Australia and central Asia. Using a new method, scientists determined the age of calcite trapped inside basalt rocks.

As the researchers note, calcite and othershydrothermal minerals are often found in critical mineral deposits and are formed by the action of mineralizing fluids. New technology described in articles in Communications Earth & Environment and Geochronology, helps trace the history of fluids in the Earth's crust and see when and what minerals they can generate.

In their work, the scientists used mass spectrometry with laser ablation in combination with geochemical analysis of rocks.

Researchers note that the sector of renewableenergy sources continues to grow rapidly. The production of wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles and batteries requires more and more metals and rare earth elements.

“Electric vehicles require four times morecopper than conventional cars, and one wind turbine uses several tons of permanent magnets made from rare earth metals,” says Renji Zhou, co-author of the work from the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Queensland.

The researchers believe that the new technology will help to study and discover the right minerals.

Read more

An asteroid the size of a blue whale is flying towards Earth at a speed of 26,000 km/h

Chinese AI predicts the course of hypersonic missiles. The retaliatory strike will be ahead

NASA released a video of the longest flight over Mars. Look how it was