Research reveals industrial waste transforming into rock within decades
New research suggests that industrial waste is transforming into rock in a matter of decades, a significantly faster pace than the millions of years typically thought necessary for the natural formation of rock. Scientists have identified a new phenomenon called the “rapid anthropoclastic rock cycle,” which mirrors the natural rock cycle but occurs on greatly accelerated timescales involving human materials.
The implications of this rapid rock formation are concerning. The unplanned development of rock around industrial waste sites could have detrimental effects on biodiversity, ecosystems, land planning, and coastal management. The researchers arrived at these conclusions after examining a two-kilometer stretch of slag deposit at Derwent Howe in West Cumbria, the site of iron and steel-making foundries in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Detailed analysis of the slag deposits revealed that the waste materials were undergoing a rapid transformation process. This transformation was initiated by the eroding effects of coastal waves and tides on the cliffs of waste material. What was particularly intriguing to the researchers was the swift incorporation of human-made materials into natural systems, leading to the lithification or turning into rock of these materials over relatively short periods.
Dr. Amanda Owen of the University of Glasgow’s School of Geographical and Earth Sciences noted the revolutionary nature of this discovery. She highlighted the accelerated pace at which wastes from the modern world are becoming part of the geological record, thus raising concerns about their irreversible impact on the future. The researchers identified the presence of calcium, iron, magnesium, and manganese in the slag materials at Derwent Howe. These elements, which are highly chemically reactive, play a crucial role in expediting the rock formation process.
Through laboratory tests, the scientists determined that interactions between seawater, air, and the reactive elements within the slag resulted in the creation of natural cements like calcite, goethite, and brucite. These cements, similar to those found in natural sedimentary rocks, bind the materials together, facilitating the accelerated rock formation process. Instances of contemporary materials embedded in the rock samples further reinforced the rapidity of the process, with items such as a 1934 King George V coin and an aluminum can tab manufactured after 1989 discovered within the rock.
A sense of urgency pervades the researchers’ warnings about the impact of this transformation on ecosystems. Dr. David Brown, a co-author of the study, emphasized the potential disruptions to coastal ecosystems and coastlines in the face of rising sea levels and extreme weather events due to climate change. The team stresses the need for additional research to deepen our understanding of this new phenomenon and its implications for the future. Their study, published in the journal Geology, sheds light on a formerly unknown process that could have far-reaching consequences for the environment.