"A mystery remains with the Martian and South American soils, however, as something "as-yet-unidentified" in both causes the rapid release of oxygen molecules when the soils were exposed to water vapour which would be expected if organic matter was being consumed."
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_836033.html

It's life bud.

Bob Clark

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Could be life, or past life as has been found in fossils in the Northeast Saharan desert. Mining seems promising in both the Meridiani region as the Northeast Saharan desert region has been.

Earth's Northeast Saharan region/Mauritania Richat Structure:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/geology.html

Mars:

http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20030417a.html

Geology and mineral potential of Mauritania
Mauritania comprises four major geological domains (Figure 1):

The central or ‘dorsal’ part of the Reguibat Shield — an uplifted part of the West African Craton which has been stable since 1700 Ma and dominates the northern third of the country's surface geology.
The N-S Mauritanides Orogenic Belt. The western margin of this orogen is concealed beneath coastal basin sediments.
The western part of the Taoudeni Basin infilled by Neoproterozoic to Devonian sedimentary strata unconformably overlying crystalline rocks of the Palaeoproterozoic to Archaean West African Craton. The continental to shallow marine Taoudeni Basin does not exceed 5000 m in thickness, and though it varies somewhat, comprises a remarkably homogenous lithological sequence.
A western Mauritanian Coastal Basin infilled by Mesozoic-Cenozoic sediments.

Figure 1: Geological domains of Mauritania.
Courtesy of MMI Within particular tectonic domains specific metallogenic associations are expected. Deposit models can be applied to determine the nature and style of mineralisation predicted to occur.

The major tectonic domains of Mauritania and their associated mineral deposit types are summarised in Table 1 below.

Further information on the geology and a selection of their associated deposit types within each tectonic domain is obtainable by clicking on the appropriate area on Figure 1, or on the links in Table 1.

Tectonic domain Prospective mineral deposit types and commodities
Reguibat Shield – mesothermal lode Au (greenstones, shear zones)
– BIF–hosted Fe deposits and Au
– magmatic sulphide deposits (Ni, Cu, PGE) in basic-ultrabasic complexes and komatites
– chromite ± PGE in serpentinites
– diamonds in kimberlites and other gemstones
– rare-metal pegmatites (Li, Be, Ta, Nb, Th, U, Sn, W)
– Volcanic-hosted massive sulphide deposits (VHMS) (Cu, Zn, Pb, Au, Ag)
– Pegmatite deposits
– Dimension Stone.
Mauritanide Belt – Fe-oxide Cu-Au deposits ± U, P, TR, Ba, F, Ag, Mo, Co, As and Zn
– Cu, Th, U, P, F, Cu in alkaline complexes
– mesothermal lode Au (shear zones)
– rare-metal pegmatites (Li, Be, Ta, Nb, Th, U, Sn, W)
– granite-related vein, replacement and skarn mineralization (Au, Cu etc)
– sediment-hosted Cu ( ± Co, Ag, Pb, Zn, PGE, Au, U, V)
– Cu, Au, Ni, Cr ± PGE in ophiolitic complexes and serpentinites
– Ni–Co in laterite
– stratiform base metals (VHMS or Sedex) (Cu, Pb, Zn, Au, Ag).
Taoudeni Basin – stratiform base– metals in shallow marine sediments (Pb, Zn, Cu, Co, Ba)
– phosphate and U in shallow marine sediments
– sandstone–type U deposits in continental red-beds
– placer deposits (Au)
– petroleum
– groundwater.
Coastal Basin – gypsum, salt and sulphur in sabkha
– sedimentary phosphorites
– Ti and Zr in heavy mineral sands
– sandstone-type U deposits – petroleum
– groundwater.

http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mmi/english/dmg/potential.html

Partially Exhumed Crater in Northern Terra Meridiani:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/msss/camera/images/8_2002_releases/bullseye/index.html

Mars Odessey/Themis camera release: Northeastern Meridiani (Released 17, April 2003)

The remarkable terrain at the "center" of the planet (0 degrees latitude and longitude) is called Meridiani Planum. It hosts a rare occurrence of gray crystalline hematite that will be visited by one of the two Mars Exploration Rovers leaving Earth this June. Just to the ENE of the hematite deposit is the eroded, layered terrain seen in this image, which lacks spectral evidence for hematite.

http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20030417a.html

Just a very interesting photo:

http://www.marstoday.com/viewsr.html?pid=9039</a?">From Mars today.

Anyways, not sure about the biology/astrobiology similiraties yes (up to the rovers and landers), but definite geological similarities.