Nanomineralogy of the First Solids in the Solar System: Discovering New Minerals and New Materials

Nanomineralogy is the study of Earth and planetary materials at nano-scales, focused on characterizing nanofeatures (like inclusions, exsolution, zonation, coatings, pores) in minerals and revealing nanominerals and nanoparticles [1,2]. With advanced high-resolution analytical scanning electron microscopy, we are now capable to characterize solid materials in situ easier and faster down to nano-scales [3]. During our ongoing nanomineralogy investigation of meteorites since 2007, more than 20 new minerals have been discovered. Each of the new extraterrestrial minerals reveals distinctive forming environments with intensive variables (e.g., composition, temperature, pressure, fO2), providing new insights into nebula or parent-body processes. 10 of them are refractory minerals, including allendeite (Sc4Zr3O12) and hexamolybdenum (Mo,Ru,Fe) [4], tistarite (Ti2O3) [5], panguite [(Ti 4+ ,Al,Sc,Mg,Zr,Ca, 2O3] [6], kangite [(Sc,Ti,Al,Zr,Mg,Ca,n)2O3] [7], davisite (CaScAlSiO6) [8], grossmanite (CaTi 3+ AlSiO6) [9], paqueite [Ca3TiSi2(Al2Ti)O14] [10], and krotite (CaAl2O4) [11]. They are among the first solids formed in the solar nebula. To date, ~ 45 refractory minerals plus about 15 presolar minerals mark the beginning of the solar mineral evolution. There are now about 4800 mineral species identified on Earth. Minerals in the solar system evolved as a consequence of physical, chemical and biological processes over the past 4.568 billion years [12].