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RE: The Dolomite Problem

in #geology7 years ago

First off, nice bug stuff. I was unaware of any of that, and will be doing some reading!

Second,

It's even hard to make in a lab- most of the time when we try to make it, the components just turn into a mixture of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, not dolomite. It wasn't until 1999 that we first created synthetic dolomite at low temperatures.

This made me laugh because I see 'virtual' dolomite all the time. There are programs out there which let you specify a bunch of free ions and predict equilibrium concentrations of solutes, precipitates, and gasses. They are actually really useful, but you have to learn to interpret the results - things like the rate of formation and such. Traces of dolomite are often 'predicted' by these programs when you've got both Ca and Mg.

Third, of course, is this.

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I'm just imagining a virtual game like hearthstone or something now, but where you collect and battle various minerals instead. :D

You mean like dwarf fortress? ;)

For those interested in the actual software.

Dwarf Fortress, thou vile beast!

Just so you know, since this comment I've been wrestling with the temptation to reinstall all week.