The variety of mineral species has increased since the birth of the Solar System and the development of terrestrial planets. A refreshing view likens the steady rise in mineral diversity to biological evolution.
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References
Johnsen, O. Minerals of the World (Princeton Univ. Press, 2002).
Hazen, R. M. et al. Am. Mineral. 93, 1693–1720 (2008).
Bowen, N. L. The Evolution of the Igneous Rocks (Princeton Univ. Press, 1928).
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Rosing, M. On the evolution of minerals. Nature 456, 456–458 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/456456a
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/456456a
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