A slice of the El Ali meteorite, now housed in the University of Alberta's Meteorite Collection, contains two minerals never before seen on Earth. (Photo: University of Alberta)

Space is full of rocks. This “celestial debris” known as meteoroids hurtles through space, occasionally entering Earth's atmosphere where the materials begin to burn up. These “shooting stars” are meteors. Most are obliterated before they come close to the surface of Earth, but a few survive the fall. These rocks which hit Earth are known as meteorites, and they are a scientist's dream. Meteorites provide hints to the chemical composition of the universe. Excitingly, a meteorite which fell to Earth and landed in Somalia in 2020 has been revealed to contain two new minerals not found on our planet.


The meteorite in question is the ninth largest ever discovered at a whopping 15 tonne (16.5 U.S. ton). It was found near El Ali, a town in the Hiiraan region of Somalia. A 2.5-ounce piece of the space rock was taken as a scientific sample and sent to the University of Alberta. There it was analyzed by Chris Herd, a professor in the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences and curator of the University of Alberta’s Meteorite Collection. Herd began to decipher the meteorites composition. “Whenever you find a new mineral, it means that the actual geological conditions, the chemistry of the rock, was different than what’s been found before,” he says. “That’s what makes this exciting: In this particular meteorite you have two officially described minerals that are new to science.”

Herd's results classified the meteorite as an “Iron, IAB complex” example, of which 350 have been discovered. Despite other similar meteorites being studied, this small slice of rock contained two previously unknown minerals. Minerals are elements or compounds which form the building blocks of rocks. Think of quartz or feldspar, which are both common minerals. Yet the two new minerals discovered are not naturally occurring on our planet. It usually takes a while to confirm whether a mineral in a meteorite is in fact new; however, these were easy to match given the fact that scientists have artificially synthesized them before. A third mineral is also possibly a new type, but more investigation is needed to confirm this.

Andrew Locock, head of the University’s Electron Microprobe Laboratory, aided Herd in identifying the new minerals. The compounds have been named elaliite and elkinstantonite. The former is named in honor of the town nearby the meteorite crash site, and the latter is in honor of Lindy Elkins-Tanton, vice president of the ASU Interplanetary Initiative, professor at Arizona State University’s School of Earth, and Space Exploration, and principal investigator of NASA’s upcoming Psyche mission. “Lindy has done a lot of work on how the cores of planets form, how these iron nickel cores form, and the closest analogue we have are iron meteorites. So it made sense to name a mineral after her and recognize her contributions to science,” Herd explains.

The meteorite may contain even more secrets of space; however, studying it in the future could be logistically tricky. The large rock has already been transported to China in search of a private sale, and a future owner may not want to take further samples. However, investigations will continue into this small piece and other meteorite materials held by the university. Herd says, “Whenever there’s a new material that’s known, material scientists are interested too because of the potential uses in a wide range of things in society.”

A meteorite which fell to Earth and landed in Somalia in 2020 has been revealed to contain two new minerals not found on our planet.​

Alchemy528:

I guess since we are still on the physiological level of maslows heirachy, we don't have business keeping these type of discovery

Why not keep a piece for research


.

Africa...chai



Smh

OneCandleAway:


I guess since we are still on the physiological level of maslows heirachy, we don't have business keeping these type of discovery

Scam

Curse777:
Why not keep a piece for research

It's been sold off to those that can research it. Is it black africa that is still struggling to feed ourself, cloth ourself that will be doing research.

OneCandleAway:


It's been sold off to those that can research it. Is it black africa that is still struggling to feed ourself, cloth ourself that will be doing research.

We have university facilities that can conduct carbon dating, our geology department are fairly equiped

What if during research we hit jackpot and find a renewable energy source

Jack port 🙄

Curse777:


We have university facilities that can conduct carbon dating, our geology department are fairly equiped

What if during research we hit jack port and find a renewable energy source

psychalade:
Jack port 🙄

Oh Jackpot

Curse777:


We have university facilities that can conduct carbon dating, our geology department is fairly equipped

What if during research we hit jack port and find a renewable energy source

It can be an energy source just like refined uranium used in nuclear reactors but not renewable.

MadamExcellency:


It can be an energy source just like refined uranium used in nuclear reactors but not renewable.

Yeah you are right,

in the true sense even Sun isn't renewable energy it's just nuclear fusion burning out , hydrogen to helium

Sold to China and US
Money to b stolen by their leaders
15 years to come , it would be "The West stole our mineral resource" as they can't explain how they spend the money.

When you don't have the capacity to handle somethings you outsource it and stick to what is immediate for you, money.

Because Africa is backward does not know what to do with it, they sold it to China and united states

OneCandleAway:


I guess since we are still on the physiological level of maslows heirachy, we don't have business keeping these type of discovery

Lol, true but sad

Curse777:


We have university facilities that can conduct carbon dating, our geology department are fairly equiped

What if during research we hit jackpot and find a renewable energy source

which yeye geology department are fairly equiped,
The ones even in the so called educationally exposed Southwest universities are still struggling and begging alumni to help them with accreditation fee. Failure to pay up means they lose their accreditation. And it's just 2 million naira o.

Thomasankara:
[/color]did u study guidance and counselling?[color=#770077]

Nope.

Just a well read individual

JimmySwaggart:
which yeye geology department are fairly equiped,
The ones even in the so called educationally exposed Southwest universities are still struggling and begging alumni to help them with accreditation fee. Failure to pay up means they lose their accreditation. And it's just 2 million naira o.

Definitely not UNiLAG , UI or IFE

Thomasankara:
[/color] interesting[color=#770077]

But these are normal things everyone should know so far you went to tertiary institution at least. Though realistically I understand the education system we have presently.

OneCandleAway:


I guess since we are still on the physiological level of maslows heirachy, we don't have business keeping these type of discovery

You couldn't have said it any better 🤣

OneCandleAway:


I guess since we are still on the physiological level of maslows heirachy, we don't have business keeping these type of discovery

You are partly right but I hope they didn't sell everything.

Africa and sell, we should crown world OlX...

Curse777:


Definitely not UNiLAG , UI or IFE

am sorry . It's uniben.

ivolt:

You are partly right but I hope they didn't sell everything.

What will they use it for? We lack the capability or capacity to research on it. So off to China it goes.

I’m so tired of African leaders just giving away their riches and resources. This reminds me of when a container with a huge gem/boulder was discovered in a container on its way to China from malawi.
The Chinese were caught trying to sneak it out of the country.

Chinese are well aware that Western Europe got rich off Africa and fathom that it is now their turn. They will stop at nothing, including bribery of corrupt African officials, to siphon wealth from Africa.

OneCandleAway:


What will they use it for? We lack the capability or capacity to research on it. So off to China it goes.

I’m so tired of African leaders just giving away their riches and resources. This reminds me of when a container with a huge gem/boulder was discovered in a container on its way to China from malawi.
The Chinese were caught trying to sneak it out of the country.

Chinese are well aware that Western Europe got rich off Africa and fathom that it is now their turn. They will stop at nothing, including bribery of corrupt African officials, to siphon wealth from Africa.

It may not be useful for them now but the future.

ivolt:

It may not be useful for them now but the future.

You know our black leaders don't plan for the future generations.

Curse777:


We have university facilities that can conduct carbon dating, our geology department are fairly equiped

What if during research we hit jackpot and find a renewable energy source

Carbon dating?
Research?

What if?

No mind me bros, you just have high hopes.
A normal Nigerian professor sef doesn't care or have passion about this

Thomasankara:
[/color]it's not everything that someone knows,you can be exceedingly rich in some areas and poor in others,for example do you know about Russian history?[color=#770077]

Well a lil bit I guess.
I mean I know about the house of Romanovs and their tragic end.
I know putin history from fighting in Africa to being the leader.
Following ufc got me to learn a bit of the Muslim Russians.