Located on the Arctic Coast, there are smoking shales and jarosite which is a formation found commonly on Mars. In this remote Arctic coastal area in the Northwest Territories, the ground is so hot it will melt your boots. Researchers have found mineral formation there that could hold clues to understanding Mars and its history.
The Smoking Hills is located between Tuktoyaktuk and Paulatuk, N.W.T., and it is unusual because it contains the mineral jarosite which is not common on Earth. However, on Mars, jarosite is plentiful. The formations of this mineral on out planet are being studied to better understand the environment on Mars and how it evolved.
More research in the area has been planned, but researchers must consult with the residents in Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk. Steve Grasby, a scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada said “you don’t see burning rocks all over the world, … It could be something that happens millions of years later to form those layers,”
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