Researchers probing a meteorite found in Somalia in 2020 have discovered two minerals never before seen outside of a laboratory.
The minerals, dubbed elaliite and elkinstantonite, were found in the El Ali iron meteorite by researchers at the University of Alberta in Canada. The two minerals had only ever been observed after being synthesized in a lab, and never before spotted in nature.
"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," Chris Herd, a professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Alberta, said in a statement.
"That's what makes this exciting: In this particular meteorite you have two officially described minerals that are new to science."
The El Ali meteorite is massive, measuring 16.5 tons, and is categorized as an IAB iron meteorite, meaning its meteoric iron is different from that found here on Earth - it exists in a pure metallic state instead of inside of ore, is often alloyed with nickel, and flecked with bits of silica. It was inside the silica that the new minerals were found.
Finding new materials in space rocks is not uncommon, since they can come from anywhere in the solar system or even beyond. The scientists hope more new minerals can be found in the El Ali meteorite, but it is reportedly preparing to be sold.