Scientist finds new mineral in Cornwall

A NEW type of mineral has been discovered in a sample of rock first collected from a Cornish mine some 220 years ago.

The new mineral, named Kernowite, forms striking large emerald green crystals, whereas the majority of new minerals are so small their colour isn’t easy to spot.

Mike Rumsey, principal curator of minerals at The Natural History Museum, said: “I was investigating a mineral called liroconite so we could curate it properly, but also because it’s my favourite mineral.

“Liroconite is this beautiful, gorgeous bright blue mineral that comes from Cornwall and I was trying to understand why its colour varies from bright teal-blue all the way to a dark emerald green.

“It turns out that the darkest green samples are sufficiently chemically different to the blues that we, as mineralogists, would define it as a new species.”

The new description has now been approved by the governing body and Kernowite (below) will be published in Mineralogical Magazine in the new year.

Around 100 new species of mineral are described each year and it is incredibly rare they are from the UK, something that only happens every three or four years on average.

Mike added: “Based on its mining history Cornwall is a world UNESCO heritage site known around the world for the discovery for many new minerals.

“However, a lot of these discoveries happened over 100 years ago when the mines were still active, so the discovery of a new mineral from Cornwall, particularly one that related to the region’s most famous mineral, is really quite amazing.”

Kernowite comes from Wheal Gorland in St Day, a mine used between 1790 and 1909. It’s now a housing estate.