Meteorites falling to our Earth after millions of years of wandering in space can bring with them very valuable information. The last example of this was announced recently.
At the Space Exploration Symposium held in Canada, scientists identified and named two previously unseen minerals in a meteorite called “Nightfall”. However, it was also shared that there may be a third mineral in the meteorite.
Meet two new minerals entering the literature:
Scientists named the two minerals detected in the meteorite as “elaiite” and “elkistantonite”. Elaiite got its name from the El Ali region in Somalia where the meteorite was found. Elkinstantonite is named after planetary scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton.
According to the details shared by the scientists, both new minerals had iron-phosphorus-oxygen compositions. While Elaiite was defined with the formula “Fe2+8Fe3+(PO4)O8”, the formula of Elkistantonite was explained as “Fe4(PO4)2O”.
Work continues on the identity of the third mineral:
Scientists continue to work to classify the potential third new mineral detected in the meteorite. In addition, he is working on a research that describes the formation process necessary for the production of new minerals in the world.
So where did this meteorite fall from?
Scientists have yet to determine where the meteorite belongs or when it fell to Earth. The meteorite was first found in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, and was captured by the Somali government after staying there for years.
While the fate of the meteorite is unknown after that, according to scientists, the meteorite even went to China for a while; It might have fallen into the hands of meteorite traders. Because the meteorite was found in a cut form. Work has also begun to find other pieces of the meteorite.
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