| Elkinstantonite | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Category | Mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | Fe4(PO4)2O |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
| Space group | P21/c (no. 14) |
Elkinstantonite /ˌɛlkɪnzˈtæntənaɪt/ is a mineral with formula Fe4(PO4)2O that was first generated in a laboratory in the 1980s and first identified from natural origins in 2022, when the official mineral designation was also given. It is monoclinic, with space group P21/c (space group 14).
History
Elkinstantonite was first identified in nature by scientists from the University of Alberta who were given a 70-gram piece of an ancient 15-ton El Ali meteorite that landed in Somalia and was first noticed by the international scientific community in 2020. Elkinstantonite was named after NASA scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton.
The mineral was identified by Andrew Locock who is employed by the university as the head of its electron microprobe laboratory, and classified by geologist Chris Herd. Locock also identified the first natural specimen of elaliite in the same sample.
Synthetic versions of elkinstantonite were produced in a French laboratory in the 1980s, but could not be categorised as a mineral until they were found in nature.
References
- Bouchdoug, M. et al."Preparation et etude d'un oxyphosphate Fe4(PO4)2O". J. Solid State Chem. (1982) 42, p. 149-157 10.1016/0022-4596(82)90261-4
- Chris Herd (Nov 21, 2022). "The El Ali Meteorite: Ancient History and New Minerals"., talk given at the Space Exploration Symposium 2022, University of Alberta.
- ^ "Somalia meteorite: Joy as scientists find two new minerals". BBC News. 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ "In meteorite, Alberta researchers discover 2 minerals never before seen on Earth | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- "U of A scientists help identify two new minerals found in 'curious' meteorite". edmontonjournal. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
- "Researchers discover two new minerals on meteorite grounded in Somalia". the Guardian. 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2022-11-29.