Cave minerals of the 21st century: A 2025 review and update

This 2025 update lists 54 newly identified minerals from cave environments, expanding the global total to 364 species. The majority of these discoveries have been made in volcanic caves and lava tubes, with a smaller number found in ice-hosted caves. The newly identified minerals belong to seven che...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational journal of speleology Vol. 54; no. 1; pp. 1 - 19
Main Author Onac, Bogdan P.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Bologna University of South Florida Board of Trustees, a public body corporate, having locations in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota 01.01.2025
Subjects
Astrobiology
Caves
Classification
Earth analogs
Iron
Lava
Mineralogy
Minerals
Nomenclature
Sulfur
Tubes
Romania
United Kingdom > UK
United States > US
Utah
Russia
Spain
Venezuela
Austria
Santa Barbara California
Sardinia Italy
Italy
France
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Arizona
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Summary:This 2025 update lists 54 newly identified minerals from cave environments, expanding the global total to 364 species. The majority of these discoveries have been made in volcanic caves and lava tubes, with a smaller number found in ice-hosted caves. The newly identified minerals belong to seven chemical classes, with sulfates being the most prominent. Recent advancements in analytical techniques and growing interest in unique cave environments have driven these discoveries. This update highlights the importance of cave mineralogy in understanding geological and astrobiological processes, particularly in the search for biosignatures and terrestrial analogues for subsurface settings on Mars and the Moon. The cave minerals of the world list provide a comprehensive reference for researchers, following international mineralogical guidelines and standardized nomenclature.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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ISSN:0392-6672
1827-806X
DOI:10.5038/1827-806X.ijs2552