Carbonatites: Chemistry Of The Most Unusual Magma On Earth
Dr. Sean Hurt of National Park College’s (NPC) Math and Sciences Division spoke on
carbonatites last week as part of the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) guest speaker
series. Hurt’s research focus was on igneous petrology, specifically on thermodynamic
modeling of carbonate melts.
Carbonatite is a rare volcanic rock that is made of carbonate. Eruptions of carbonatite
are not as hot as the average lava that might erupt on Hawaii, for instance. Carbonatite
lava has a temperature of around 930 F versus the approximate 2000 F of more common
lava. Carbonatite is "carbonated" it contains more gas and is more fluid than typical
lava and actually flows like water. When carbonatite lava cools it forms a rare igneous
rock.
There are 550 occurrences of carbonatite around the world, though only one is currently
active, Ol Doinyo Lengai. However, in Magnet Cove, Arkansas carbonatite rocks can
be found.
Interestingly, 50 percent of Rare Earth Elements come from carbonatite deposits.
Those Rare Earth Elements are used in a device most of us use every day, the cellphone.
These elements are used in small quantities to produce the colors in the smartphone’s
screen, the magnets in the speaker and microphone and in the vibration unit of the
phone.
Pictured are NPC's Dr. Sean Hurt and student Cory Morris.
