Fluid-Mineral Interactions in Rock

A system of polymineralic veins cross-cutting and locally affecting the host rock. The veins are composed of minerals crystallised from fluids of different compositions. Location: Östlicher Nöfesferner (South Tyrol). Sebastian Cionoiu - Heidelberg geoscientists test new methods to understand the effects of rupture processes in the Earth's interior Spontaneous mineral growth and dissolution in the rock of the Earth's crust, until now observed only by chance and never described or systematically studied, are the focus of a new research project at Heidelberg University. The aim of the project at the Institute of Earth Sciences is to reproduce conditions similar to natural rock rupture processes in a controlled laboratory environment. "The outcome of our experiments is unknown," states Dr Sebastian Cionoiu, who heads up the project together with Lucie Tajcmanova. "If we succeed, however, they could lead to important new information in earthquake and materials research." The experimental work is being funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.