Volcano may be ‘raining’ green crystals on Hawaii
In the never-ending parade of weird phenomena erupting from Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano comes a “rain” of green crystals, which supposedly have been spotted on the ground after falling from the sky.
“It is literally raining gems,” tweeted Tucson meteorologist Erin Jordan, who posted a photo sent to her by a friend in Hawaii.
The gems are also known as olivine, “a common mineral in basaltic lava, which is what this eruption is producing,” said Concord University volcanologist Janine Krippner. “Olivine is formed in hot and deep magmas and is brought up to the surface during an eruption.”
Though photos have been posted on social media, no scientists have confirmed any sightings on the ground. If verified, the olivine could have fallen out of the lava as it was spewed into the air, U.S. Geological Survey scientist Wendy Stovall told Mashable.
It’s certainly not unusual to find olivine crystals in most Hawaiian lava rock, new and ancient. “It’s pretty common,” Stovall said. “There’s often olivine in rocks all over Hawaii.”
Krippner said, “There is even a green sand beach in Hawaii from these minerals eroding out of the basalt (lava).” Green sand beaches are rare, the Geological Survey said. The crystals are heavier than most sand types on the beach and remain behind when lighter sand grains are washed away by strong waves.
The crystals discovered near the volcano this week, however, are not being created in the eruption. They’ve been formed deep underground long ago, brewing in the molten rock, Mashable reported.
Crystals falling from the sky during an eruption is an unusual event, however: “I have never heard of it raining out as single crystals like this,” Krippner said.
This eruption episode began May 3 and has destroyed hundreds of homes on Hawaii’s Big Island.