The dense igneous rock, known as the Kumano pluton, is lurking about 3.1 miles (5 kilometers) below the surface beneath Japan's Kii Peninsula. It sits in the crust of the continental Eurasian plate.

Mark Brandriss is an igneous petrologist and geochemist who teaches introductory courses in field geology and Earth history and more advanced courses in mineralogy and tectonics. Brandriss' research ...

My name is Hunter Frith and I'm a geology student currently studying at CU Boulder. With foundations in mineralogy and petrology, I enjoy uncovering mineral formation pathways, especially in unique ...