They were hidden in “El Ali”, a 15-ton meteorite found in Somalia two years ago near the town of El Ali – hence the name. It is the ninth largest known meteorite. A piece of it weighing 70 grams was examined by a team of researchers, with the aim of classifying the meteorite, in this case as an “IAB iron complex meteorite”. A mouthful for an iron meteorite (meteorite) and pieces of silicate, a sub-group of minerals that is very common on earth, and which is also the raw material of glass, for example.
During the analysis, lead researcher Chris Herd of the University of Alberta unexpectedly stumbled upon the new chemical elements. He brought in a colleague who had previously described new minerals: Andrew Locock. He soon confirmed his suspicions: “You have at least two new minerals here,” Locock is said to have said.
