Newark's Saint Gobain Bantycock gypsum quarry could hold key to whether there was life on Mars as DEEPER drilling project testing in collaboration between the European Space Agency and University of Glasgow takes place
A Newark quarry could hold the answer as to whether there was life on Mars.
Mars exploration, experimental science equipment, signs of extraterrestrial life and Newark-on-Trent — but how are these linked?
Saint-Gobain’s Bantycock Gypsum Quarry near Newark is that answer.
The quarry’s 204-million-year-old gypsum deposits are proving ideal for testing out a new experimental drill rig which will be part of an investigation into whether there is water on Mars.
The project is called DEEPER — standing for Drill for Extensive Exploration of Planetary Environments using Robots — and is a collaboration between the European Space Agency, University of Glasgow and other partners.
Bantycock was selected as it is the only surface mining operation in the UK capable of providing the opportunity to drill through gypsum deposits and is also said to provide a realistic environment which could be similar to that on Mars.
Minerals like those found at the quarry were discovered by a 2004 NASA expedition to Mars which uncovered bright veins of a mineral believed to be gypsum.
Gypsum is formed through the evaporation of water and its discovery on Mars supports the idea that water once flowed across and under its surface — and where there is water, there is the potential for life.
However, this water or ice could be many metres below the surface, so a team at the University of Glasgow have been developing a drill small enough to be transported by rocket, which rolls off a spool in a similar way to a tape measure.
Patrick Harkness, from the University of Glasgow, said: “We have been working on a drill architecture that can be deployed to a considerable depth, but also one that can be spooled up into a smaller package for delivery to the surface of the planet.
"That reduces the overall size of the mission and reduces the cost accordingly.
"The rock at Bantycock provides us with some Mars-like conditions that will allow us to see how well the device might perform, and what we might need to improve.”
Jeremy Elvins, minerals and estates manager with Saint-Gobain, added: “We are delighted that we can help test out this very special drill by offering part of Bantycock Quarry as a test bed.
“It is great that we can play a small part in progressing Mars exploration and contribute to the understanding of whether there is or has been life on Mars.”
The gypsum at Bantycock Quarry was formed between 204 and 216 million years ago in the Triassic Period when dinosaurs roamed the earth.
Gypsum extracted now is used in the production of high-quality plaster products for applications such as ceramics, in the food industry, brewing, decorative work, medical and dentistry as well as in the production of plaster and plasterboard.
