Earth grows fine gems in minutes – Phys.org

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but some of Earth’s finest gemstones were, according to new research from Rice University.
Aquamarine, emerald, garnet, zircon and topaz are but a few of the crystalline minerals found mostly in pegmatites, veinlike formations that commonly contain both large crystals and hard-to-find elements like tantalum and niobium. Another common find is lithium, a vital component of electric car batteries.
“This is one step towards understanding how Earth concentrates lithium …

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