Jarosite

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A recent study by a team of researchers from India has explored jarosite samples from Kachchh, Gujarat, a region with terrain conditions similar to Mars.

About Jarosite

• Jarosite is a yellow-brown mineral composed of potassium, iron, and sulphate, commonly found in arid, saline environments.
• The study aimed to assess whether jarosite can act as a “natural clock” on Mars by tracking geological events through radiation-induced luminescence.

Scientific Methodology and Luminescence Testing

• The researchers collected six jarosite vein samples from Kachchh and examined them in a lab using a process based on luminescence dating.
• Luminescence refers to the light emitted by minerals when they release energy stored from natural radiation over time.
• The process involved:
  • Washing grains with weak acid to enhance brightness.
  • Irradiating, heating, cooling, and repeating the cycle to analyze luminescent properties.
• The team observed four distinct luminescent emissions at 100°C, 150°C, 300°C, and 350°C, even after heating the samples up to 450°C, indicating thermal stability.

Why Kachchh, Gujarat Was Chosen

• The Kachchh region in Gujarat was selected due to its extreme aridity and salinity, resembling Martian terrain conditions.
• This made it an ideal analog site to test the behavior of jarosite under extraterrestrial-like environments.

Jarosite FAQs

Q1: What is Jarosite, and where is it commonly found?
Ans: Jarosite is a potassium iron sulfate mineral, typically formed in oxidised zones of sulfide-rich environments, like acidic mine drainage sites.

Q2: Why is Jarosite important in planetary science?
Ans: It was discovered on Mars by NASA's Opportunity rover, indicating the presence of acidic, water-based weathering in the planet’s past.

Q3: What is the chemical formula of Jarosite?
Ans: The chemical formula is KFe₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₆.

Source: TH