Is it 'raining' green crystals in Hawaii, due to Kilauea volcano eruption?

Doyle Rice | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Green gems spew out of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is still belching out lava. But it’s also spewing out green crystals.

Corrections and clarifications: According to the Associated Press, the story of the green crystals falling from the sky turned out to be totally false: The ongoing eruption of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is not causing crystals to rain from the sky despite reports of residents finding little green gems in the area. Reports of the phenomena by science-related websites and some newspapers and magazines relied heavily on a tweet by Erin Jordan, who told the AP that green stones – identified as olivine – were found by friends who live in Kalapana, Hawaii, about 12 miles from neighborhoods where lava fissures have opened since early May. Olivine is a common mineral found embedded in Hawaiian lava, said Cheryl Gansecki, a geologist at the University of Hawaii’s Hilo campus on the Big Island. But, she said, “there is not olivine raining from the sky, except in clumps of lava.” She added they do not separate from the lava by themselves.

The original story follows.

In the never-ending parade of weird phenomena erupting from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano comes a "rain" of green crystals, which have supposedly been spotted on the ground after falling from the sky.

"It is literally raining gems," tweeted Tucson meteorologist Erin Jordan, who posted a photo sent to her by a friend in Hawaii.

The gems are also known as olivine, "a common mineral in basaltic lava, which is what this eruption is producing," said Concord University volcanologist Janine Krippner. "Olivine is formed in hot and deep magmas and is brought up to the surface during an eruption."

Although photos have been posted on social media, no scientists have confirmed any official sightings on the ground.

If verified, this olivine could have fallen out of the lava as it was spewed into the air, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist Wendy Stovall told Mashable.

It's certainly not unusual to find olivine crystals in most Hawaiian lava rock, both new and ancient. "It's pretty common," Stovall said to Mashable. "There’s often olivine in rocks all over Hawaii."

Friends of mine live in Hawaii, right next to the area impacted by the most recent lava flows. In the midst of the destruction nearby & stress of the unknown, they woke up to this - tiny pieces of olivine all over the ground. It is literally raining gems. Nature is truly amazing. pic.twitter.com/inJWxOp66t — Erin Jordan (@ErinJordan_WX) June 11, 2018

Krippner said "there is even a green sand beach in Hawaii from these minerals eroding out of the basalt (lava)." Green sand beaches are rare, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The crystals are heavier than most sand types on the beach and remain behind when lighter sand grains are washed away by strong wave activity, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

More: Yes, 'Pele's hair' is falling from the sky in Hawaii

More: Hawaii volcano: Acid rain will fall, but it won't be harmful — and 'vog' is in the forecast

More: Lava, acid rain, vog, sulfur dioxide and now 'laze': New deadly threat emerges from Hawaii volcano

The little crystals discovered near the volcano this week, however, are not being created during the eruption. They've been formed deep underground long ago, brewing in the molten rock, Mashable reported.

However, falling from the sky during an eruption is an unusual event: "I have never heard of it raining out as single crystals like this," Krippner said.

This eruption episode began May 3 and has destroyed hundreds of homes on Hawaii's Big Island.