NASA’s Perseverance rover has identified traces of corundum on Mars for the first time during its ongoing exploration of the Jezero crater. The discovery was made while analyzing rocks designated as “Hampden River” and “Coffee Cove,” where researchers detected specific spectral signatures associated with chromium, a key marker for the mineral.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, corundum is the mineral base for rubies and sapphires on Earth. The identification was achieved through the rover’s “SuperCam” system, which utilized laser and spectroscopic analysis to record signals corresponding to chromium ions replacing aluminum within the mineral structure.
Scientists confirmed the presence of corundum through remote analysis of the Martian surface rather than direct laboratory sampling. The detection of sharp signals at 692.7 and 694.1 nanometer wavelengths, characteristic of chromium ions in corundum, provided the necessary data for this identification. On Earth, the presence of chromium is responsible for the distinct red color of rubies.
Researchers are currently investigating how the formation of this mineral relates to the ancient geological processes of the Red Planet. The diverse geological origins of the rocks located at the edge of the Jezero crater suggest that complex thermal and chemical processes occurred in Mars’ distant past.
The Perseverance rover has been exploring the Jezero crater since 2021, utilizing its advanced “SuperCam” suite to determine the chemical and mineral composition of Martian rocks from a distance. These findings, which were presented at the 57th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in 2026, significantly expand the scientific understanding of Mars’ mineral diversity and its ancient environmental conditions.
