Scientists Collected Deep-Sea Rocks. They Spontaneously Caught Fire in The Lab.
Scientists at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) collected deep-sea rocks that spontaneously caught fire in the lab. The rocks, metal sulfide samples from the Escanaba Trough, heated themselves past 100 °C and burned while being freeze-dried and crushed. This was caused by nanocrystalline marcasite, an unstable form of iron. The event highlights a potential hazard in deep-sea mining of seafloor massive sulfide deposits.
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- ✓ Deep-sea sulfide minerals can spontaneously heat and combust when exposed to air
- ✓ The rocks that caught fire were collected from the Escanaba Trough, a hydrothermal vent area on the seafloor off the Oregon–California border
- ✓ The combustion was caused by nanocrystalline marcasite, an unstable form of iron
- ✓ The event caused temperatures above 100 °C in the lab and completely oxidized the original samples
What changed
Additional sources have confirmed the USGS findings, providing more details about the cause of the combustion and the potential risks.
Live updates
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Deep-Sea Rocks Spontaneously Catch Fire in Lab
Scientists at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) collected deep-sea rocks that spontaneously caught fire in the lab. The rocks, metal sulfide samples from the Escanaba Trough, heated themselves past 100 °C and burned while being freeze-dried and crushed. This was caused by nanocrystalline marcasite, an unstable form of iron. The event highlights a potential hazard in deep-sea mining of seafloor massive sulfide deposits.
Why it matters
The discovery was made in 2022, but recent reports have brought attention to the issue. Researchers are warning that some deep-sea minerals may spontaneously combust when brought to the surface. This has implications for the potential environmental and safety risks of deep-sea mining. The USGS is investigating the phenomenon to better understand the risks.
What is confirmed
- Deep-sea sulfide minerals can spontaneously heat and combust when exposed to air
- The rocks that caught fire were collected from the Escanaba Trough, a hydrothermal vent area on the seafloor off the Oregon–California border
- The combustion was caused by nanocrystalline marcasite, an unstable form of iron
- The event caused temperatures above 100 °C in the lab and completely oxidized the original samples
What to watch next
- Further research on the risks of deep-sea mining
- Development of safety protocols for handling deep-sea minerals
- Decisions on whether to proceed with deep-sea mining operations
confidence 85%Sources used for this update (13)
- ScienceAlert — Scientists Collected Deep-Sea Rocks. They Spontaneously Caught Fire in The Lab.
- Ocean News & Technology — Escanaba Trough Samples Collected by USGS Reveal Combustion Hazard in SMS Rock Handling
- USGS (.gov) — Deep-sea sulfide minerals can spontaneously heat and combust when exposed to air
- SuaraGarut.ID — USGS Finds Deep Sea Rocks Can Ignite After Recovery
- www.sciencealert.com — Scientists Collected Deep-Sea Rocks. They Spontaneously Caught Fire in The Lab. : ScienceAlert
- www.sciencealert.com — Massive Wave in The Pacific Was The Most Extreme 'Rogue Wave' on Record : ScienceAlert
- gizmodo.com — Deep-Sea Rocks Spontaneously Combusted After Scientists Brought Them to the Surface - Gizmodo
- flipboard.com — Scientists Collected Deep-Sea Rocks. They Spontaneously Caught Fire in The Lab.
- www.democraticunderground.com — Scientists Collected Deep-Sea Rocks. They Spontaneously Caught Fire in The Lab. - Democratic Underground ....
- flipboard.com — Scientists Collected Deep-Sea Rocks. They Spontaneously Caught Fire in The Lab.
- www.freeanswers.io — Why did deep-sea rocks spontaneously catch fire in a USGS lab?
- www.banxnetwork.com — The Seafloor Rocks That Caught Fire in the Lab - Banx Network
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