India, Sept. 19 -- A new study of the upper Indus basin in the northwestern Himalayas has identified an unexpected geological source of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2): the oxidation of pyrite, commonly known as "fool's gold".

The study was conducted by researchers from the Department of Earth and Climate Science, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune

The study, published in the journal Chemical Geology on July 17, 2026, examines the role of pyrite oxidation in the carbon cycle of the upper Indus basin.

The findings suggest that in parts of the glaciated upper Indus basin, the release of CO2 associated with pyrite oxidation can outweigh the amount of CO2 removed through the weathering of silicate rocks. This ...