The Tolbachik volcano in Russian has led to the formation of a bunch of new mineral that has never before been documented. Recently, the team of researchers has named the mineral sulfate 'petrovite', with the chemical formula Na10CaCu2(SO4)8. The mineral was found in the volcanic landscape situated in the far east of Russia, atop the Tolbachik volcano in the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Tolbachik volcano is more popular of its volatile history. 

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The ‘Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption’ happened in 1975- 1976 and a smaller eruption occurred in 2012-2013 are the two most significant eruptions associated with Tolbachik. The first eruption left a wide area surrounding the volcano bare where scientists later discovered fumarole deposits and several unknown minerals. A data reveals discovery of as many as 130 minerals at the site of the Tolbachik volcano, with petrovite being the latest. Petrovite is a blue and porous mineral. The scientists say the specimen for petrovite was collected way back in the year 2000. The sample was collected near the cinder/ash cone from 1975 eruption. 

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Stanislav Filatov from St Petersburg University, the lead researcher and crystallographer, said in a press release that the "copper atom in the crystal structure of petrovite has an unusual and very rare coordination of seven oxygen atoms". Petrovite resembles another mineral called the saranchinaite, found at same Tolbachik a few years ago. As the new mineral allows the sulphur ions to move in and out of the structure easily, scientists believe petrovite can be used to invent new ways of developing cathodes for use in batteries and electrical devices.

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