The Search for Argonite
Student Argonaut Connor Bebb

Our day started with breakfast at the headquarters of National Geographic in downtown Washington DC. We had a really good breakfast, and then went on a quick tour of the facilities, including Hubbard Hall.

I had never been there before, and I was taken aback by the beautiful pictures and décor. After the tour, we headed out to the Smithsonian Institution via the DC Metro. This was my first time on a subway system, and I definitely had fun. When we arrived at the Smithsonian, we were greeted by Host Researcher Dr. Mike Wise, and our mission continued.

Using the sample that we took from the mine yesterday, we began a series of experiments. We were interested to know what the specimen was, and whether or not it could be a new species! Dr. Wise himself wasn't sure if he had ever even seen it before. We were really hoping this was a new mineral -- and that we would get to name it Argonite!

Our first test involved a couple different microscopes. We started by taking a peak under a regular microscope to get a closer view of the sample. When asked what it looked like, the thought of cauliflower came to mind -- the crystals were bunched together and had a few puffy formations.

After each of us had taken a look at the sample, we used a high-powered electron microscope to take a much closer look. When we looked at the sample with the electron microscope, we saw that it really didn't look like cauliflower, and there were areas that looked like little bumpy drinking straws -- it was not, in fact, smooth. By focusing in on specific areas of the sample, we were able to get a rough idea of some of the elements that formed it, such as silicon.

The electron microscope didn't give us all of the information we needed, so we continued our investigation with renewed fervor.

For the next test, we used a spectral imaging microprobe to investigate a different specimen. The microprobe allowed us to conduct a full chemical analysis of the sample. We were pretty sure that it was either columbite or tantalite from our first search. Dr. Wise had us create and test our hypotheses through the experiments, as a part of the scientific process.

We then moved on to our last and final test in the search for Argonite. We went into a new lab, which had an x-ray diffraction machine. This would be one of the more important steps in discovering whether or not we had found a new type of mineral. By putting the sample into the x-ray machine, it would be bombarded with radiation, which would react to the specimen's atomic pattern. As the machine powered up, we were both nervous and excited to find out if this was in fact a new type of mineral. We waited with great anticipation as the machine processed the last bits of its data. When we looked at it though, it seemed that our efforts were for naught. The sample we had put in the machine was too small, because there were no observable peaks of other elements. Dr. Wise, however, informed us that while this did not show that it was a new mineral yet, it did not rule out the possibility that it could be. So for now, the search for Argonite continues.

By this time, however, it was time for our mission debriefing with Dr. Wise. To me, the mission was a success for a few reasons. First and foremost, I felt inspired to go out and share this knowledge of pegmatites and geology with other people. Second, I realized that I have a deep love for the pegmatites, and that they are not only nature’s art, but clear evidence that the key to our future lays in the past. I can only hope that future generations will be able to enjoy these wonderful minerals as much as I did.