Probably having been formed in water, sulfate deposits are of great interest to scientists because they may contain traces of ancient life.

The highly concentrated calcium sulfate at Homestake could have been produced in conditions more neutral than the harshly acidic conditions indicated by the other sulfate deposits observed by Opportunity.

It impedes recharging; sulfate deposits ultimately expand, cracking the plates and destroying the battery.

EDTA can be used to dissolve the sulfate deposits of heavily discharged plates.

Ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica show evidence of substantial sulfate deposits around 533-534 2 years, evidence of an extensive acidic dust veil.

There is also a 2.5 km high mountain inside Juventae, 59 km long and 23 km wide, that was confirmed by Mars Express to be composed of sulfate deposits.

As a mineral, native sulfur under salt domes is thought to be a fossil mineral resource, produced by the action of ancient bacteria on sulfate deposits.

Some places on Mars contain hydrated sulfate deposits.

Longer term damage to aircraft and engines was reported, including accumulation of sulfate deposits on engines.

It could have been produced in conditions more neutral than the harshly acidic conditions indicated by the other sulfate deposits; hence this environment may have been more hospitable for a large variety of living organisms.