Indian Scientists Discover Mars-Like Minerals in Tamil Nadu and Chile’s Atacama Desert

Indian researchers have identified Mars-like minerals in Tamil Nadu and Chile, offering new insights into ancient water activity, geological processes and the search for potentially habitable environments.

Indian Scientists Identify Mars-Like Geological Sites in Tamil Nadu and Chile

Researchers from the University of Kerala have identified geological locations in Tamil Nadu and Chile that share important mineralogical and environmental similarities with Mars. The findings could help scientists understand the Red Planet’s history of water activity and investigate environments that may once have supported life.

According to the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the team identified two water-bearing sulphate minerals, melanterite and gypsum, at terrestrial sites that provide useful comparisons with Martian geological conditions.

The research highlights how studying Earth’s extreme environments can improve scientists’ understanding of planetary processes and help inform future Mars exploration missions.

University of Kerala Team Studies Mars-Like Minerals

The research was led by Dr Sajin Kumar K.S., Project Coordinator of the DST-FIST programme in the University of Kerala’s Department of Geology.

The scientists investigated locations with geological, chemical and physical characteristics that resemble aspects of the Martian environment. Such locations are known as terrestrial analogue sites because they allow researchers to study Earth-based examples of processes that may also occur on other planets.

The team identified melanterite in Neyveli, Tamil Nadu, while gypsum was found in Chile’s Atacama Desert and the Tiruchirappalli Badlands in Tamil Nadu.

These findings provide additional opportunities to examine how minerals form and preserve evidence of past environmental conditions.

Melanterite and Gypsum Offer Clues About Ancient Water on Mars

Both melanterite and gypsum belong to the hydrous sulphate mineral group. Their formation and composition can provide evidence of interactions between water and rocks, making them valuable for investigating the geological history of Mars.

Melanterite Indicates Temporary Wet Conditions

Melanterite forms through processes associated with the oxidation of sulphide minerals under wet, acidic and oxidising conditions. Its presence can therefore indicate episodes when liquid water interacted with geological materials.

Researchers consider this mineral relevant to understanding short-lived wet environments and sulphate formation processes that may have occurred on Mars.

Studying melanterite in terrestrial locations can help scientists examine the conditions required for its formation and compare those processes with evidence collected from the Martian surface.

Gypsum Preserves Evidence of Past Water Activity

Gypsum is another important mineral for planetary research because its formation is associated with water-related geological processes.

Its presence can help scientists reconstruct aspects of past aqueous environments. Gypsum may also preserve potential biosignatures within its mineral structure, making it relevant to astrobiology, the study of life in the universe.

However, finding gypsum or other water-related minerals does not establish that life existed at a particular location. Instead, these minerals help researchers identify and investigate environments that may have offered conditions relevant to habitability.

Raman Spectroscopy Helps Confirm Mineral Composition

To identify the minerals, the research team used an advanced laser Raman spectrometer supported by the DST’s Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST) programme.

Raman spectroscopy is an analytical technique that examines how laser light interacts with a material. The resulting spectral patterns can act as distinctive signatures, helping researchers identify minerals and study their composition.

High-precision instruments are particularly important in planetary science because visually similar minerals may have different chemical properties and formation histories.

The use of Raman spectroscopy allowed the team to confirm mineral identities and investigate geological processes relevant to understanding Mars. Such analytical capabilities can complement observations made by spacecraft and other remote-sensing instruments.

Why Earth’s Geological Sites Matter for Mars Exploration

Orbital observations provide valuable information about Mars, but they cannot always reveal every detail about mineral composition, formation processes or local geological conditions.

Terrestrial analogue sites help bridge this gap by allowing scientists to investigate comparable materials directly on Earth. Researchers can study how minerals form under different environmental conditions and use those findings to interpret observations from other planetary bodies.

The Neyveli and Tiruchirappalli locations in Tamil Nadu, along with Chile’s extremely dry Atacama Desert, offer different geological settings for examining mineral formation and water-related processes.

Understanding these environments may help researchers identify promising locations for future planetary investigations, especially where evidence of ancient water or potential biosignatures could have been preserved.

Research Published in Planetary Science Journals

The findings have been published in two research papers in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, a scientific journal covering planetary science.

The research contributes to ongoing efforts to understand the environmental history of Mars and the processes that may have shaped its surface.

The team is also expanding its investigations to rare terrestrial analogue sites in extreme environments around the world. These studies aim to improve understanding of conditions associated with primitive life and their relevance to astrobiology.

DST-FIST Programme Supports Advanced Planetary Research

The DST said advanced research facilities supported through the FIST programme can strengthen India's scientific capabilities in planetary research.

Access to specialised instruments allows researchers to conduct detailed mineral analysis, investigate geological processes and contribute to international scientific understanding of Mars and other planetary bodies.

Such facilities can also help prepare scientists to interpret data from future exploration missions and assess locations that may preserve evidence of ancient environmental conditions.

Conclusion

The identification of melanterite and gypsum in Tamil Nadu and Chile provides researchers with valuable terrestrial comparisons for studying Mars. By examining minerals linked to past water activity, Indian scientists hope to improve understanding of planetary geology and help guide the search for environments that may preserve clues about ancient life.