We are studying an area called Fracture Town. The aim is to follow up identification of opal to check the extent to which silica has been remobilised by fluids in the sediments. Intriguingly we have found both detrital silica – a mineral called tridymite – probably brought in from silica-rich volcanic rocks, and amorphous silica/opal which might have formed in the sediments.
Opal has also been identified at some of potential ExoMars landing sites so we hope that studying in in Gale with Curiosity will help us understand those occurrences as well.
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