Space Nerd Wannabe

Not too good! I will need some mentoring, maybe by Bryan or Lockwood.

Caution: normal non-quizzy blogging may resume shortly.

October Sky Tonight

The movie October Sky, isn't strictly a geology movie, but it does feature a young man, Homer Hickam, who desperately wants not to follow his father into the local coal mines, but who instead wants to go into space: from deep inside the earth to way up into the sky and beyond. Based on a true story.

It's a good movie, IMO, and it's on tonight and tomorrow night on DIRECTV:

October Sky on AMC at 8:00 PM EST, 01/12/2009
October Sky on AMC at 5:30 PM EST, 01/13/2009

Mining in the Asteroid Belt: Accretionary Wedge #13

Space: the next frontier (final?)

This month's Accretionary Wedge is all about "Geologeeeeee in Spaaaaaaaace," as Chris over at goodSchist pronounces it!

I got to thinking about mining in spaaaace, and found some interesting links that have to do with mining meteorites on earth, and some results of meteor impacts.

But first off, mining in space - in the asteroid belt or anywhere else - is not likely to happen anytime soon, IMO. Numerous people, however, have been looking into it, perhaps at least as long as we have been actively exploring space, beginning with our 1960's race to the moon.

Asteroids are small metallic to rocky bodies in our solar system that are too small to be considered planets. That definition is a little fuzzy, as we have found out recently with the de-classification of Pluto from a planet to, well, a dwarf planet, which is something between an asteroid and a planet in size.

The main grouping of asteroids occurs in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. These asteroids are thought to be what's left of primordial or proto-planetary matter that did not form a planet because of interference by the large gravitational field of nearby Jupiter. Asteroids also occur in Jupiter's Lagrange points; these asteroids are known as Trojans. Finally, there are asteroids that approach relatively close to Earth, and they are called Near Earth Asteroids (NEA's).

Asteroids can also be classified by composition. The classification of asteroids into C-type, S-type, and M-type, along with several other minor types, is based on the study of meteors that enter earth's orbit and then survive as on-the-ground meteorites. Chris at goodSchist describes in detail one of the C-type asteroids, Ivuna, and Geology Happens has some info about asteroid impacts and the craters they form.

Asteroid mining, as I mentioned, was the first type of mining that came to my mind when I thought of mining in space. The several different kinds of asteroids have potentially many different kinds of minerals or elements that a reasonable miner might want to go after in space. These elements include gold and platinum, aluminum, magnesium, nickel, cobalt, platinum, and titanium, aluminium, gold, silver, zinc and other base and precious metals, and a whole host of resources depending on asteroid type:

C, D, P: H2O, CO2, CH4
B, G, F: nickel and iron
Q, S, M: nickel, iron, silicates, and platinum group elements

Apparently - and probably not surprisingly - the Near Earth Asteroids have been voted "most likely to be mined" by those doing initial feasibility studies. C-type asteroids are favored by some, not only for their iron, aluminum, magnesium, nickel, cobalt, and platinum, but also for other commodities and mineral sources such as ice, hydrocarbons, graphite, silicates, sulfides and sulfates, nitrates, and carbonates. The current feasibility and accuracy of these plans and ideas is beyond the scope of this little blog article!

Meteorite impacts on earth have led to some interesting mining speculation, the foremost of which started after G. K. Gilbert, in the 1890's, decided that the Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona was caused by an underground steam explosion - because he could find no meteor-impact evidence, such as an intact meteorite. In 1902, Daniel Moreau Barringer, an American mining engineer, decided that the crater, which he recognized as a meteorite impact crater, had great iron and nickel mining potential, if only the meteorite that had created the crater could be found. He drilled the area for twenty years without finding what he was looking for, at the same time finding geologic evidence that eventually led to the acceptance of the site as an impact crater.

Others have occasionally proposed exploring for impact sites as a way to find certain metals and commodities, such as gold, platinum, and diamonds. It's not clear to me whether these are viable exploration models, or whether they are, in large part, based on the fact that the Sudbury mining district in Canada, a large source of nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum group elements, is the site of a huge meteorite impact that occurred 1.8 billion years ago. The metals in the 30 x 60 km Sudbury basin are not currently thought to have come from the meteorite, but from the earth itself. The story of the Sudbury impact and resulting melting of the earth's crust can be read about here, here, and here. From Naldrett, 2003:

...there is a growing body of isotopic evidence that the complex is an impact melt that incorporated Ni-, Cu-, and PGE–bearing mafic and/or ultramafic rocks that were already present in the target area (Keays and Lightfoot, 1999; Cohen et al., 2000).

In other space-mining news, mining on the moon may succeed sooner than asteroid mining, if NASA builds its moon base, and if mining Helium-3 for fusion-generated energy proves worthwhile. The most recent moon-base proposal, however, doesn't seem to require any off-world mining.

A Few References:

Cohen, A.S., Burnham, O.M., Hawkesworth, C.J., Lightfoot, P.C., 2000, Pre-emplacement Re-Os ages from ultramafic inclusions in the Sublayer of the Sudbury Igneous Complex, Ontario: Chemical Geology, v. 165, p. 37–46.

Keays, R.R., Lightfoot, P.C., 1999, The role of meteorite impact, source rocks, protores and mafic magmas in the genesis of the Sudbury Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide ore deposits, in Keays, R.R., et al., eds., Dynamic processes in magmatic ore deposits and their application in mineral exploration: Geological Association of Canada, Short Course Notes, v. 13, p. 329–366.

Naldrett, A. J., 2003, From Impact to Riches: Evolution of Geological Understanding as Seen at Sudbury, Canada: Geological Society of America, GSA Today, vol. 13, issue 2, p. 4-9.

Accretionary Wedge #13: Geology in Space

Yeah, Sure!

Well, maybe...

This is not for the Accretionary Wedge on spaaaaaccee... hosted by Chris at Good Schist, unless I run out of tiiiiiimme...

Star Trek TOS: The Devil in the Dark

Accretionary Wedge #7; Geology/Geologists in the Movies
Hosted by Tuff Cookie at Magma Cum Laude.

I enjoy the occasional disaster flick, most of which have geological backgrounds or orientations, even if they don’t have any geologists in them. I wanted to go back a little farther, though, than the fairly recent Dante’s Peak, Armageddon, or Deep Impact (all of which, especially the first two, have geological problems in them but were, nevertheless, enjoyable in my opinion). So I’ve chosen the somewhat geological Star Trek TOS (The Original Series), Season 1, Episode 26: The Devil in the Dark.

The episode is about mining and a mining colony, and it refers to the classic though trite antagonism between geologists and engineers. Devil in the Dark introduces a new, silicon-based life form, a life form somewhat rock-like in appearance and composition, and therefore to be admired, in this geologist's opinion.

The Starship Enterprise goes to the pergium mining colony on planet Janus VI because an unknown monster or creature has been destroying equipment and killing the underground miners. Janus VI, BTW, also contains abundant reserves of uranium, cerium, and platinum, elements which I am somewhat more familiar with. I don’t really know where pergium fits on the Periodic Table of Elements . For more details about the episode, an Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary, by Eric W. Weisstein, is available.

The reason I remember this episode so well (besides seeing it numerous times) is that it introduces a non-carbon-based life form, the Horta, which turns out to be sentient and intelligent. The Horta is a silicon-based, rock-like entity made of a material similar to asbestos. It can tunnel through rocks using heat and acid (possibly that’s why an asbestos-like substance was thought by the writers to be necessary), which it somehow generates by consuming rocks as its source of “food.” At the time—the episode first aired on March 9, 1967 when I was 14 years old—I found it “fascinating” to imagine a silicon-based lifeform. Since that time, I have incorrectly remembered the Horta as a silica-based, quartz-like lifeform, rather than an asbestos-like lifeform, perhaps the result of bad memory. The Horta reproduces by laying roundish, silicon-based eggs (possibly made of raw silicon or silica, but looking a lot like brown balloons). It has killed, trying to protect its eggs from a bunch of obnoxious (to it) offworld, Federation miners.

The geology (or mineralogy?) is probably far-fetched—as is space travel with our given physics and engineering limitations, but interesting nonetheless. Mineralogically speaking, I’m not sure what form of “asbestos” would be more likely to be a good base or substance for life. Perhaps some mineralogists could comment on this issue.

In the episode, Spock behaves somewhat like a geologist (after all, he is usually the one with the all-element-reading tricorder). He is therefore (like any real geologist) the first one that can actually relate to this rock-like being. Like a stereo-typical geologist, Spock relates better to rocks than he does to people, and in this episode he relates better to the Horta than he does to most, well – humans (they are so illogical). In fact, he relates so well to the rock entity, that he is able to mind meld with it, an experience similar to what some geologists undertake when out in the field trying to figure out the geology of a particular field area.

As usual, there is tension between the logical Spock and the emotional Doctor McCoy. In addition, there is the stereotypical tension (and even animosity) between the mining engineers or mine managers of Janus VI and the explorationists of the Starship Enterprise. In this case, the explorationists aren’t really geologists, but they serve that purpose as far as the mining v. exploration tension goes. In the photo , Captain Kirk points a phaser at the Horta.

A few good quotes come from the episode, some of which might only be of interesting to other Star Trekkians (Trekkers, not Trekkies, as far as I’m concerned). The first relates directly to the rift between an engineer v. geologist perspective:

Chief Engineer Vanderberg: Look, we didn't call you here so you could collect rocks!

The second brings out Doctor McCoy’s bedside manner while trying to heal wounded rock-like beings:

McCoy: I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!

And a few other quotes are of interest:

Spock: The odds against both of us being killed are 2,228.7 to 1.

Kirk: 2,228.7 to 1? Those are pretty good odds, Mr. Spock.

Spock: And they are of course accurate.

Kirk: Of course. Well, I hate to use the word, but, logically with those kinds of odds you might as well stay. But please stay out of trouble, Mr. Spock.

Spock: That is always my intention, Captain.

Kirk: Think she'll go for it? [A proposed truce between Horta and miners.]

Spock: It seems logical, Captain. The Horta has a very logical mind. And after close association with humans, I find that curiously refreshing.

Spock: Curious. What Chief Vanderberg said about the Horta is exactly what the Mother Horta said to me. She found humanoid appearance revolting, but she thought she could get used to it.

McCoy: Oh, she did, did she? Now tell me--did she happen to
make any comment about those ears?

Spock: Not specifically. But I did get the distinct impression she found them the most attractive human characteristic of all. I didn't have the heart to tell her that only I have...

Kirk: She really liked those ears?

Spock: Captain, the Horta is a remarkably intelligent and sensitive creature with impeccable taste.

Kirk: Because she approved of you.

Spock: Really, Captain, my modesty...

Kirk: Does not bear close examination, Mr. Spock. I suspect you're becoming more and more human all the time.

Spock: Captain, I see no reason to stand here and be insulted.

Exploration on Mars

There’s been some talk recently about Mars - although strangely enough I can't find the all the links right now - maybe Mars is being talked about because it’s in a very close position to the earth, or maybe because of the landslides.

Here's an opinion: I think it’s about time that we sent real geologists to Mars, the Moon, and anywhere else we can get to, and see what is really going on. I suppose our unmanned probes are getting better, but as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing like a real person for making observations and testing hypotheses. As geologists, we are trained observers, as my dad likes to say, and so I’d say we should get into the field Out There.

Once upon a time, I thought I might be one of the ones to go into space to explore, because when I was young, I really though we would be colonizing other planets or going on long space treks to other solar systems, soon, Any Day Now. That’s what I thought—maybe it was a Star Trek thing, maybe it was an Isaac Asimov thing. By the time I was 18 or 20, however, I could see that we would probably not take to space in any meaningful way in my lifetime, or least not until I was probably too old to be considered for colonization or exploration. So, I’ve stuck to exploration here, on this planet.

And that’s worked out well for me, overall.