Whitecourt

Iron, IIIAB
Found in Canada, 2007

The identification of a new crater in northern Alberta, and its attendant shrapnel fragments in 2007, was a significant meteorite discovery. The crater itself was discovered by Sonny Stevens and its authenticity was confirmed by Dr. Christopher Herd of the University of Alberta. The crater’s estimated age is around 1,100 years old, according to carbon dating techniques. A study published by Dr. Herd reported there are fewer than a dozen known terrestrial sites of similar size and age, and fewer still that exhibit the features characteristic of the Whitecourt crater, such as the presence of meteorites, an ejecta blanket, a raised rim, an observable transient crater boundary, and more.

The area surrounding the crater is a national preserve and there is a substantial fine for removing meteorite fragments found there. Specimens in our inventory came from outside the preserve and have been granted official export permits from the Canadian government. Whitecourt meteorites contain rare iron-nickel phosphide inclusions and are dominantly composed of crystallized metal. Extreme atmospheric pressure and/or collisions with other meteorites as they plummet through Earth’s atmosphere give Whitecourt meteorites their unique shape and surface features.

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