Meteorite that crashed in Somalia contains two minerals that do not exist on Earth

Two hitherto unidentified minerals have been discovered in a meteorite that fell close to El Ali, Somalia, in an astounding scientific finding.

This result advances our knowledge of the cosmic ingredients that form our solar system and was made possible by research conducted at the University of Alberta and the Electron Microprobe Laboratory.

Although the identification of new minerals usually requires extensive investigation, in this case, the identification procedure was sped up because the minerals had already been created in a lab. This made it possible for researchers to swiftly compare the compositions and validate the finding. Elaliite and elkinstantonite, the latter named in honor of Lindy Elkins-Tanton of Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration, have been assigned to the minerals. Lindy has done a great deal of research on planetary core formation.

Elkins-Tanton is also in charge of NASA's next Psyche mission, which will investigate the mineral-rich asteroid Psyche in an effort to learn more about the formation of planetary bodies. The identification of these minerals emphasizes the significance of meteorites in science and the relationship between mineralogy and space exploration.

But it's unclear what the El Ali meteorite will contribute to science in the future. It has been rumored that the meteorite has been shipped to China, possibly for sale. It is unclear if the new owner of the meteorite will allow for additional scientific study if it is purchased.

The enormous unknowns that exist beyond our planet and the accidental nature of scientific discovery are both brought home by this finding. Every meteorite that hits Earth has the potential to teach us new things about the universe we live in as we continue to research it.

 Reference: Press Release