A systematic survey of 57 different paragenetic modes distributed among 5659 mineral species reveals patterns in the diversity and distribution of minerals related to their evolving formational environments. The earliest minerals in stellar, nebular, asteroid, and primitive Earth contexts were dominated by relatively abundant chemical elements, notably H, C, O, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Ti, Cr, and Fe. Significant mineral diversification subsequently occurred via two main processes, first through gradual selection and concentration of rarer elements by fluid-rock interactions (for example, in hydro-thermal metal deposits, complex granite pegmatites, and agpaitic rocks), and then through near-surface biologically mediated oxidation and weathering.We find that 3349 mineral species (59.2%) are known from only one paragenetic context, whereas another 1372 species (24.2%) are associated with two paragenetic modes. Among the most genetically varied minerals are pyrite, albite, hornblende, corundum, magnetite, calcite, hematite, rutile, and baryte, each with 15 or more known modes of formation.Among the most common paragenetic modes of minerals are near-surface weathering/oxidation (1998 species), subsurface hydrothermal deposition (859 species), and condensation at volcanic fumaroles (459 species). In addition, many species are associated with compositionally extreme environments of highly differentiated igneous lithologies, including agpaitic rocks (726 species), complex granite pegmatites (564 species), and carbonatites and related carbonate-bearing magmas (291 species). Biological processes lead to at least 2707 mineral species, primarily as a consequence of oxidative weathering but also through coal-related and other taphonomic minerals (597 species), as well as anthropogenic minerals, for example as byproducts of mining (603 minerals). However, contrary to previous estimates, we find that only ~34% of mineral species form exclusively as a consequence of biological processes. By far the most significant factor in enhancing Earth’s mineral diversity has been its dynamic hydrological cycle. At least 4583 minerals—81% of all species—arise through water-rock interactions.A timeline for mineral-forming events suggests that much of Earth’s mineral diversity was established within the first 250 million years. If life is rare in the universe, then this view of a mineralogically diverse early Earth provides many more plausible reactive pathways over a longer timespan than previous models. If, however, life is a cosmic imperative that emerges on any mineral- and water-rich world, then these findings support the hypothesis that life on Earth developed rapidly in the early stages of planetary evolution.

中文翻译：

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论矿物的共生模式：矿物演化的视角

对分布在 5659 种矿物物种中的 57 种不同共生模式进行的系统调查揭示了与其演化的地层环境相关的矿物多样性和分布模式。恒星、星云、小行星和原始地球环境中最早的矿物以相对丰富的化学元素为主，特别是 H、C、O、Mg、Al、Si、S、Ca、Ti、Cr 和 Fe。随后通过两个主要过程发生了显着的矿物多样化，首先通过流体-岩石相互作用（例如，在热液金属矿床、复杂花岗伟晶岩和红晶岩中）逐渐选择和浓缩稀有元素，然后通过近地表生物介导的氧化和风化作用。我们发现仅从一种共生环境中已知 3349 种矿物（59.2%），而另外 1372 个物种（24.2%）与两种共生模式有关。遗传变化最多的矿物是黄铁矿、钠长石、角闪石、刚玉、磁铁矿、方解石、赤铁矿、金红石和重晶石，每一种都有 15 种或更多已知的形成模式。最常见的矿物共生模式是近地表风化/氧化（1998 种）、地下热液沉积（859 种）和火山喷气孔冷凝（459 种）。此外，许多物种与高度分化的火成岩岩性组成的极端环境有关，包括红石岩（726 种）、复杂的花岗伟晶岩（564 种）以及碳酸盐岩和相关的含碳酸盐岩浆（291 种）。生物过程导致至少 2707 种矿物，主要是氧化风化的结果，但也通过与煤炭相关的和其他埋藏矿物（597 种）以及人为矿物，例如作为采矿的副产品（603 种矿物）。然而，与之前的估计相反，我们发现只有约 34% 的矿物物种完全是生物过程的结果。迄今为止，增强地球矿物多样性的最重要因素是其动态水文循环。至少 4583 种矿物（占所有物种的 81%）是通过水-岩石相互作用产生的。矿物形成事件的时间表表明，地球上大部分矿物多样性是在最初的 2.5 亿年内建立的。如果宇宙中很少有生命，那么，与以前的模型相比，这种矿物学多样化的早期地球观点在更长的时间跨度内提供了更多合理的反应途径。然而，如果生命是在任何富含矿物质和水的世界上出现的宇宙必需品，那么这些发现支持了地球上的生命在行星演化的早期迅速发展的假设。