Scientists from the University of Michigan and Hokkaido University have solved the 200-year-old dolomite problem by demonstrating how the mineral forms in laboratory conditions that mimic natural processes.
How dolomite growth actually works in nature
The breakthrough came from understanding that dolomite’s alternating calcium and magnesium layers often form with atomic disorder, creating defects that unhurried growth. These misplaced atoms are less stable and dissolve when exposed to water, allowing natural cycles like rainfall or tides to periodically clean the crystal surface.
Why lab attempts failed for two centuries
Previous experiments failed given that they assumed dolomite needed stable, orderly conditions to grow, ignoring that natural environments use periodic dissolution to remove growth-blocking defects. Without this reset mechanism, forming a single ordered layer could take up to 10 million years.
For more on this story, see NASA Telescope Uncovers Mystery of 2,000-Year-Old Supernova.
How researchers simulated the process
The team used atomic simulations developed at U-M’s PRISMS Center to model electron and atom interactions, reducing computing demands by leveraging crystal symmetry to predict energy states for various atomic arrangements.
What this means for materials science
Understanding dolomite’s growth mechanism could inform strategies for synthesizing advanced technological materials where controlled crystal formation is essential, according to Wenhao Sun, Dow Early Career Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at U-M and corresponding author of the study published in Science.
This follows our earlier report, γ Cas X-ray Mystery Solved: White Dwarf Companion Found with XRISM Telescope.
Why has dolomite been rare in recent rock formations?
Dolomite forms slowly in nature and requires wet-dry cycles to dissolve defective layers; such conditions are less common in recent geological periods, limiting new dolomite accumulation.
Can dolomite now be grown quickly in labs?
Yes, by mimicking natural environmental cycles that remove atomic defects, researchers can now produce dolomite in far shorter times than the previously estimated millions of years per layer.