Scientists are exploring the possibility of mining iron, nickel and cobalt on asteroids

In an article published in the Planetary Science Journal, the researchers explain that metal-rich near-Earth asteroids were created when the cores of developing planets collapsed catastrophically early in the solar system's history.

The team is studying asteroids 1986 DA and 2016 ED85 in detail and found that their spectral characteristics are very similar to asteroid 16 Psyche, the most metal-rich space body in the solar system.

Psyche, located in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter and not near Earth, is the primary target of NASA's Psyche mission.

“Our analysis shows that the surfaces of both asteroids contain 85% metals such as iron and nickel, and 15% silicate material, which is mostly rock,” lead author Juan Sanchez said in a statement to the media. "These asteroids are similar to some stone iron meteorites, such as the mesosiderites found on Earth."

Studying the mining potential of 1986 DA, scientists found that the amount of iron, nickel and cobalt that could be present on the asteroid would exceed the world's reserves of these metals.

The conclusions of the article are based on observations obtained using the NASA infrared telescope on the island of Hawaii.