At least two minerals previously unknown to have been produced artificially were found in Somalian space rock, and a third mineral is still under investigation.
“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,” said Professor Chris Herd of the University of Alberta in a statement. Herd found two new minerals, which he called elaliite and elkinstantonite after the meteorite and Professor Lindy Elkins-Tanton, respectively.
Elkinstantonite, which is named after Lindy Elkins-Tanton, vice president of the ASU Interplanetary Initiative and professor at Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration, and Elaliite, which is named after the meteor El Ali that was discovered in the town of El Ali in the Hiiraan region of Somalia, are the names of the two newly discovered minerals.
Herd said in a statement, “That’s my expertise — how you tease out the geologic processes and the geologic history of the asteroid this rock was once part of. I never thought I’d be involved in describing brand new minerals just by virtue of working on a meteorite.”
This covers the historic moment for Somalia for such terrific scientific discovery, and to contribute the same for the world as well to incorporate and innovate further discoveries using thus minerals to use.
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