A meteorite weighing 15.2 metric tonnes included two minerals that had never before been observed on Earth, according to scientists (33,510 pounds).

The parts were from a chunk of the meteorite that was found in Somalia in 2020; they are thought to be the ninth-largest meteorite ever recovered and weigh 70 grammes. about 2.5 ounces.

Samples of the space rock were sent to Chris Herd, curator of the university's meteorite collection, for classification.

As he was looking at it, he noticed something strange: some of the sample's components weren't visible under a microscope.

Then, because Andrew Locock, director of the university's electron microscope laboratory, has experience describing new minerals, he turned to him for help.

According to Herd, a professor in the university's department of Earth and atmospheric sciences, "he said you've got at least two new minerals in there" on the very first day he performed some analyses.

"That was outstanding. To declare the existence of a new mineral typically requires much more investigation."

"That was outstanding. To declare the existence of a new mineral typically requires much more investigation."