A study reveals the reasons for the lack of minerals on Mars compared to Earth
A scientific report revealed that Earth has approximately 6,000 different minerals, while only 161 minerals have been recorded on Mars after more than 50 years of research, which is a small number for a planet that has a lot in common with Earth.
According to Phys.org, a recent study found that the difference arose because minerals on Mars have fewer paths of formation than those on Earth, even though both planets began with very similar paths of mineral evolution.
Dr. Robert M. Hazen of the Carnegie Institution for Science conducted a systematic study of all the minerals on Mars that were discovered over the course of half a century, through Mars missions and Martian meteorites.
Mechanisms of mineral formation on Earth and Mars
Although previous studies on the matter identified 57 primary and secondary mechanisms of mineral formation on Earth, M. Hazen's study identified only 20 patterns of mineral formation on Mars.
Minerals on Earth and Mars formed in similar ways early in planetary history, so it is likely that the first minerals on both planets crystallized directly from cooling magma.
Source: websites