Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano has been continuously erupting spewing lava for over a month now. At this stage of anger, no one really wondered that it could now shoot some pretty tiny crystals into the air. Yes, Hawaiian residents have come across little green gems that have fallen out of the sky during the eruption.
In no time, residents took to Twitter sharing these recent findings; a beautiful green mineral that was hiding behind those raged rocks of Kilauea. These little stones are known as olivine crystals and the pictures are amazing.
Researchers state that olivine crystals are common minerals which can be found the world over and waking up to these little ones in Hawaii is not much of a surprise. But finding them because of a volcanic eruption does not happen quite often.
Geologists at the University of Hawaii says that the crystals are carried along with lava out of the volcano and shoots into the sky. While individuals in the area were quick in collecting these tiny green gems.
Also Read: Lava flow crossed onto the property of a Hawaii geothermal power station
Cheryl Gansecki, a geologist at the University of Hawaii-Hilo that studies the composition of Kilauea’s lava told Mashable that there could be two reasons that gems were being discovered. “The lava that is erupting now is very crystal-rich and it is quite possible that residents might be finding olivine,” said Gansecki. She further added, “’It can be carried in the pumice [rapidly cooled lava] pieces that have been rained all over the area or left behind when weaker lava rocks are crushed.”
United States Geological Survey (USGS) Volcanologist, Michael Poland strongly believes that the olivine is not raining out of the plume because it is a common element in the grounds as the roads of Hawaii are made up of ground up olivine-rich lava rock.
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