Description
Originally hoping to extend the known boundaries of the Campo del Cielo strewnfield, a meteorite hunter explored far into Formosa Province in Argentina, where he discovered a small and previously unknown meteorite strewnfield 200 miles north of Campo del Cielo and near the town of Las Palmas (“The Palms”). The strewnfield was searched three times using metal detectors: north to south, east to west, and finally at a diagonal, to ensure that all pieces were recovered. The zone produced about 300 kg of small, beautifully-regmaglypted and highly sculptural iron meteorites. Since these irons originated in Argentina, they were assumed by many researchers to be examples of the already-known Campo del Cielo meteorite, even though the strewnfields are separated by 200 miles and the Las Palmas strewnfield is perpendicular to the Campo del Cielo strewnfield. Notkin was so impressed by the beauty and quality of these specimens that he purchased the bulk of them immediately.
Aerolite Meteorites attempted to have the “Las Palmas” meteorite classified three separate times by three different academics and, each time, a different conclusion was reached.
The Las Palmas individuals are very well preserved, with multiple, fine, small regmaglypts, and most uncleaned pieces display clear remnant fusion crust. These characteristics appear different to the majority of Campo del Cielo finds. Aerolite Meteorites CEO Geoffrey Notkin went on record saying that, in his professional opinion and based on the find data and surface characteristics, “Las Palmas” is a different and distinct meteorite from Campo del Cielo, but no official new classification has been forthcoming to date. “Las Palmas” is not an official name and it is not listed in the Meteoritical Bulletin database. It is, however, without any doubt, a genuine iron meteorite.
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