Deep carbon cycling during subduction revealed by coexisting diamond-methane-magnesite in peridotite.

This article discusses the process of subduction, which transfers materials from the Earth's surface into the deep mantle. The authors focus on the role of carbon in this process and its cycling in the Earth's interior. They present findings from a study conducted in the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt in China, where they discovered coexisting micro-diamond, methane, and magnesite in peridotite. These findings provide insights into diamond formation and carbon cycling in subduction zones. The authors suggest that carbon released from the subducting slab can be stored as diamond, methane, and magnesite in the overlying mantle wedge, contributing to carbon cycling at great depths. [Extracted from the article]