Scientists who were studying a sample of the meteorite discovered in Somalia in 2020 discovered two new minerals never seen before on the planet. O meteorite El Ali, at 15.2 metric tons, is the ninth largest of its kind ever found on Earth, according to the University of Alberta.
The researchers were analyzing a 70-gram piece of this space rock, which is roughly 2.5 ounces. According to the curator of the meteorite collection at the University of Alberta and professor in the department of sciences of Earth and Atmospheric University, Chris Herd, the samples were sent to be classified.
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However, during these examinations, something different was verified, since certain pieces of the rock were not identifiable under the microscope. Thus, the opinion of Andrew Locock, who is head of the Electron Microprobe Laboratory at the same university and has expertise in describing new minerals, was sought.
The partnership was very fruitful, as Herd said in a statement. “The very first day he did some analysis, he said, ‘You have at least two new minerals in there.
Lindy Elkins-Tanton, Regent Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at the same university, and is also the principal investigator of a new journey to a metal-rich asteroid, which is in orbit between Mars and Jupiter, was honored in one of the discovered minerals, which was named after “elkinstantonite”.
Herd said that "Lindy has done a lot of work on how planet cores form, how these iron-nickel cores form, and the closest analogue we have is iron meteorites." He added: "It makes sense to name a mineral after you and recognize your contributions to science."
The other unpublished mineral was named “elaliite”, which is inspired by the name of the meteorite, found near the city of El Ali, in the heart of Somalia.
The two new minerals were approved by the International Mineralogical Association in November of this year.
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