REEs such as niobium, tantalum and ytterbium have been discovered in igneous rock layers – similar to the discovery (and ...

X-ray scans reveal rare chemical signatures in asteroid grains that hint at water, organics and the building blocks of life. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate ...

A microscopic fragment from the asteroid Ryugu, brought back to Earth by Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission, has revealed something astonishing: a crystalline mineral that scientists have never observed on our ...

Why is Christian Science in our name? Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and we’ve always been transparent about that. The church publishes the ...

Discover how rocks, minerals & the rock cycle change your world. Join the Science Trek team to explore rocks and minerals! Discover how the Earth formed, the three types of rocks, the rock cycle, and ...

America’s technological dominance in terms of military hardware risks being put in jeopardy without access to rare earth ...

China dominates the supply of critical minerals such as tungsten, but a U.S. push for alternative sources has found one, deep inside a South Korean mountain. Dec 29, 2025 U.S. could turn to South ...

AVIRIS-5 is one of the newest tools in a joint research project from NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) called GEMx. The project is designed to search for surface traces of critical minerals, ...

Scientists have uncovered new details explaining why iron oxide minerals are such effective long-term carbon traps in soils.

Test your rock & mineral smarts—are you a Rock Star? Think you know rocks and minerals? Take the Science Trek quiz! Test your smarts on gold, salt, Earth’s oldest rocks, gemstones on Mars, and the ...

Every year, something extraordinary happens in Tucson. Beneath the backdrop of rugged mountains and under an impossibly blue sky, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show transforms the city into a global hub ...