Tuesday 29 November 2022 09:03 PM Two minerals never before seen on Earth are discovered in a 14-ton meteorite ... trends now
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At least two new minerals never seen on Earth have been identified within a 14-ton meteorite found in Somalia two years ago.
The minerals were found in a single two-ounce slice of the space rock, which was sent to the University of Alberta, believed to have discovered a potential third new mineral.
The two newly discovered minerals have been named elaliite and elkinstantonite, but no other details have been released.
The meteorite, dubbed 'El Ali,' is classified as an 'Iron, IAB complex,' which is one of over 350 in that particular category - but it is the ninth largest meteorite ever found.
Two new minerals never seen on Earth were identified in a single two-ounce slice of meteorite
The meteorite was named in honor of the town where it was found, which is the name also given to the first mineral.
The second was named after Lindy Elkins-Tanton, director manager of Arizona State University's Interplanetary Initiative and principal investigator of NASA's upcoming Psyche mission.
Elkins-Tanton plans to send a probe to probe the mineral-rich asteroid for evidence of how our solar system's planets formed.
Chris
