Perseverance rover discovers corundum minerals in Jezero Crater

NASA’s Perseverance rover has discovered corundum in three light-colored rocks located on the edge of the Jezero Crater on Mars. Corundum is the primary mineral that forms gemstones such as rubies and sapphires. Using the SuperCam laser instrument, researchers identified specific luminescence peaks at 692.7 and 694.1 nanometers, which indicate the presence of chromium within the corundum, similar to the composition of red rubies.

The discovery, led by geochemist Ann Ollila from Los Alamos National Laboratory, presents a geological puzzle. Typically, corundum forms in environments rich in aluminum but poor in silicon. However, the three analyzed rocks—named Hampden River, Coffee Cove, and Smiths Harbour—are rich in plagioclase, a mineral containing both aluminum and silicon. This chemical composition makes the presence of corundum difficult to explain under standard geological models, as aluminum would typically combine with silicon to form different silicate minerals instead.

The findings were published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. While the corundum exists only as microscopic grains within the rocks rather than large gemstones, the discovery provides new insights into the complex chemical and thermal history of the Martian surface.