Researchers in Canada have discovered two new minerals in a meteorite that landed in Somalia. The 15-tonne El Ali meteorite was unearthed in Somalia in 2020.
The minerals have been named ‘Elaliite’ after the town where the meteorite crashed, and ‘Elkinstantonite’ after planetary scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton.
The meteorite came from an asteroid in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is the ninth largest celestial rock found on Earth at over 2 metres wide.