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  • Understanding the Earth's Mantle: Upper & Lower Layers
    The Earth's mantle is divided into two main parts:

    1. Upper Mantle: This is the uppermost layer of the mantle, extending from the base of the crust to a depth of around 660 kilometers (410 miles). It is composed of mostly peridotite, a dense, dark-colored rock. The upper mantle includes the lithosphere, which is the rigid outer layer of the Earth that includes the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle, and the asthenosphere, which is a soft, partially molten layer below the lithosphere.

    2. Lower Mantle: This is the layer below the upper mantle, extending from about 660 kilometers to 2,890 kilometers (1,795 miles), the boundary with the Earth's core. The lower mantle is much hotter and denser than the upper mantle, and the pressure is much higher. It is composed of minerals like bridgmanite and ferropericlase.

    While these are the two main parts of the mantle, it is important to note that some subdivisions within the upper mantle exist, like the transition zone between the upper and lower mantle, which lies between 410-660 kilometers depth.

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