The surface of asteroid 1986 DA consists of 85% metals such as iron and nickel, with only about 15% silicate – the main component of ordinary rock.
Scientists estimate that one of the two metallic asteroids moving near Earth could contain precious metals worth approximately $11.65 trillion, Cnet reported on October 5. These asteroids are over 1.6 km wide, with the one valued at $11.65 trillion named 1986 DA. It may even contain more iron, nickel, and cobalt than the global supply of these metals. The other asteroid in this duo is called 2016 ED85.
1986 DA may provide useful data related to asteroid 16 Psyche.
This duo is a potential target for future asteroid mining, the research team noted. The study was published in the journal The Planetary Science.
Space mining is gradually gaining interest among scientists because experts believe it could provide metals for settlements on Mars or the Moon at a cost-effective rate, enabling humanity to venture further into space exploration. With space mineral resources, humans wouldn’t need to launch expensive missions to transport construction materials from Earth to other locations.
Additionally, the team of experts believes that studying 1986 DA and 2016 ED85 will help scientists gain further insights into 16 Psyche, a metal-rich asteroid that NASA plans to send a spacecraft to explore in 2022. 16 Psyche is thought to contain a vast amount of metals with an estimated value of $10 quintillion. However, before the spacecraft arrives, scientists cannot be certain about the composition of this asteroid due to its distance.
Nicknamed “mini Psyche”, 1986 DA and 2016 ED85 could provide valuable data related to 16 Psyche. Because they are moving close to Earth, collecting spectral information from them is also much simpler.
“It’s fortunate that we have discovered mini Psyche asteroids near Earth,” said Vishnu Reddy, an associate professor at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona.
1986 DA and 2016 ED85 are believed to be fragments that separated from a celestial body similar to 16 Psyche. Based on the data collected, scientists suggest that they are composed of 85% metals such as iron and nickel, with only 15% silicate, the main component of ordinary rock.
