The Discovery of Few-Layered Graphene Flakes in Paragenetic Association with Other Carbon Nano-sized Mineral Phases

Interstitial fibrous-matted micron-scale aggregates of few-layered graphene nano-flakes, multi-layered carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, and fullerenoids have been found between quartz and potassium feldspar grains of slag-like high temperature and shock-metamorphosed rocks (polymictous sandstones) of the Dzharakuduk area (Kyzyl-Kum Desert, Uzbekistan). This is the first finding of few-layered graphene nano-flakes as well as multi-layered carbon nanotubes (with ~10 Å inner diameters) and their assemblages as mineral component of natural rocks. Amount of layers in natural few-layered graphene nano-flakes varied from 19 to 45. Mechanisms of few-layered graphene nano-flakes generation in natural rocks are discussed.