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Stone Meteorites For Sale

large museum quality stone meteorite

Large Northwest Africa 869 stone meteorite

Stones constitute the largest group of meteorites. They originated in the outer crust of a planet or asteroid. Recently-fallen stone meteorites are covered by a thin, black rind known as fusion crust, which forms as the rock’s surface is burned during flight. Fusion crust is fragile and deteriorates easily, so stone meteorites that have been on the surface of our planet for a long time have a similar appearance to Earth rocks. Visible inside most stone meteorites are tiny, glassy, spheres known as chondrules. Forged at the very dawn of the solar system, these chondrules are far older than our own planet. Some stone meteorites, known as carbonaceous chondrites, have been found to contain water, salt, and even amino acids. In the distant past, these meteorites may have carried the very building blocks of life to Earth.

For those looking to buy stone meteorites, our catalog of available pieces is presented here in alphabetical order. Click on any image for additional photographs. All specimens are fully guaranteed and we pride ourselves on outstanding customer service. Please contact us directly with questions.

Explore our wide collection of Stone Meteorites For Sale

Aba Panu Abadla 002 Aguas Zarcas Al Haggounia 001 Allende Bassikounou Bechar 008 Bencubbin Camel Donga Carancas Chelyabinsk Chergach Clarendon (c) Dalgety Downs Dar al Gani (DaG) 521 Dimmitt Djoua 001 Gao-Guenie Gold Basin Grapevine Mesa Hamilton Hammadah al Hamra 346 Homestead Jiddat al Harasis 264 Kainsaz Labenne Sahara Millbillillie Mont Tourniat 002 Mvskoke Merkv Nagjir 001 New Orleans Northwest Africa 10514 | Eucrite Northwest Africa 11174 | H5 Northwest Africa 11342 | Diogenite Northwest Africa 11615 | LL3 Northwest Africa 11700 | H4 Northwest Africa 12217 | Achondrite-ung Northwest Africa 12322 | CV3 Northwest Africa 12925 | CK5 Northwest Africa 12932 | Unbrecciated Eucrite Northwest Africa 13279 | CV3 Northwest Africa 13758 | R3 Northwest Africa 13917 | Winonaite Northwest Africa 14613 | H5 Northwest Africa 15468 | OC4-melt breccia Northwest Africa 15662 | LL3 Northwest Africa 16094 | Eucrite Northwest Africa 16181 | LL3 Northwest Africa 16242 | CV3 Northwest Africa 4502 | CV3 Northwest Africa 7454 | CV3 Northwest Africa 7457 | L5-melt breccia Northwest Africa 7831 | Diogenite Northwest Africa 869 | L3-6 Northwest Africa XXX | Unclassified Stones Norton County Nuevo Mercurio NWA 10102 Punggur Rafsa 005 Sidi El Habib 001 Tank Mountains Tarda Tassédet 004 Thika Tsarev Viñales Zag Zhob

Aba Panu

Ordinary chondrite, L3 Witnessed fall in Oyo, Nigeria on April 19, 2018 Aba Panu is a witnessed fall that occurred at 14:02:27 on April 19, 2018. Numerous stones landed between the Nigerian villages of Ipapo and Tede. An astonishing entry velocity of almost 13 miles per second was recorded for the incoming mass. That is around 45,000 miles per hour! Aba Panu is an L3 chondrite, meaning it is a stone meteorite comparatively low in metal (nickel-iron) while its chondrules are as close to pristine as we can expect to see. L3 meteorites are particularly interesting to researchers and collectors alike, as they underwent a very low degree of alteration on the parent bodies. Their 4.67-billion-year-old chondrules give us perhaps our best look back at the earliest moments of our own solar system. Aba Panu is delightfully rich in them: white, grey, and cream- colored chondrules and chondrule fragments, varying greatly in size from about 0.1 to several mm across. Densely packed together, their abundance is marvelous, in fact, the meteorite seems to be made up almost entirely of these tiny, ancient intriguing spheres. Also visible are a few nickel-iron flecks and occasional armored chondrules. Combine that with the fact that in all of meteorite history there have only been seven L3 witnessed falls (none of the other six are readily available to collectors) and you have a highly desirable and rarely-offered space rock collectible.

Abadla 002

Carbonaceous chondrite (CM2) Found in Bechar Algeria, 2021 Abadla 002 is a carbonaceous chondrite meteorite. It was found in 2022 in Algeria, in Bechar, the capital. Bechar was annexed to French Algeria and subsequently thrived in the coal mining industry. The economy there now is centered around agriculture, producing dates, vegetables, figs, cereals, and almonds. The climate in the region is hot, with temperatures reaching upwards of 115 degrees Fahrenheit in the summers. A CM2, Abadla 002 is a rare type of carbonaceous chondrite—only about 0.8% of known meteorites fall under that classification. The total mass of the find is a minuscule 800 grams. The parent body of CM-type meteorites is not known, though they are assumed to have originated from carbonaceous asteroids, of which there are many. The 2 designation indicates this meteorite was altered by water while in space! Abadla 002 pieces sport a handsome black fusion crust on their exterior and a smattering of small chondrules suspended in a dark grey matrix in their interior, some small CAIs may be present.

Aguas Zarcas

Carbonaceous chondrite (CM2) Alajuela, Costa Rica on April 23, 2019 at 21:07 local time A significant fireball traveling from the northwest to the southeast, shortly after 9 pm was observed by many witnesses and recorded on cameras belonging to the National Seismological Network. Fireballs that produce new meteorites on Earth are always big news, but not since 1969 had there been a comparable event. It was not the size of the fireball that generated almost unprecedented excitement, but rather the type of meteorite — an extremely rare carbonaceous chondrite known as a CM2 — which represents only 0.8% of all known meteorites. Witnessed falls produce meteorites that display rich jet black fusion crust, which occurs when the surface of incoming meteorites is superheated in our atmosphere. This rind is fragile and affected by terrestrial weathering when meteorites sit on Earth’s surface for several years. The Aguas Zarcas meteorite fall produced primarily small stones, the majority of which were unbroken; a rare occurrence due to the violent effects experienced by most meteorites as they blast through Earth’s atmosphere. Meteoriticists noted the stone’s high degree of brecciation. Some stones exhibit clasts with abundant chondrules. Some specimens are rich in nickel-iron and will adhere to a magnet, while others show no attraction. The variation in these specimens is a reflection of the heterogeneity of the parent body, caused by the pummeling and re-accretion of other asteroidal material as it hurtled through space.

Al Haggounia 001

Enstatite chondrite, EL-melt rock Found in Western Sahara, 2006 Al Haggounia 001 was first discovered in Western Sahara in 2006 near Al Haggounia. Portions of the meteorite were excavated from beneath a sabkha lake and several pieces were found embedded in terrestrial rock. Scientists estimate the meteorite fell in the Late Quaternary period, which makes it a “fossil” or “paleo” meteorite. There’s been some debate over the classification of Al Haggounia 001; in 2016, the meteorite was reclassified by Dr. Alan Rubin of the University of California, Los Angeles as " "vesicular, incompletely melted, EL chondrite impact melt rock[s]". Al Haggounia is an now classified as an enstatite chondrite, EL-melt, a rare type of meteorite that, according to spectral analysis, could have come from asteroid 16 Psyche. They lack significant oxygen content, which suggests enstatites could have formed near the center of the solar nebula that created our solar system. Low in iron, these specimens are distinguished by their large chondrules and variety of weathering stages. Some Al Haggounia pieces are dark brown in color and sport beige veins of clay, while specimens that have experienced less weathering are bluish-grey in color.

Allende

Carbonaceous chondrite, CV3.2 Witnessed fall in Chihuahua, Mexico on February 8, 1969 Allende is a rare witnessed fall CV3 carbonaceous chondrite. Allende’s nighttime fireball spread over 50 square kilometers was witnessed by hundreds of people in rural Mexico on February 8, 1969 and numerous specimens were picked up by locals the next morning. Often described as “the most studied meteorite in history,” Allende is one of the most fascinating and desirable space rocks available to collectors. It’s availability for study and commerce is due in large part to Dr. Elbert King, a meteorite specialist who designed NASA’s Lunar Receiving Lab during the Apollo era. As soon as he heard the news, Dr. King traveled from Houston to Chihuahua, in the hope of recovering some samples. He had no idea that Allende would turn out to be a particularly rare type and of great interest to science. The enterprising Dr. King studied Allende for many years and traded specimens with researchers the world over which is, in part, why this meteorite has been so very widely studied. Dr. King’s thrilling Allende adventure is recorded in his enjoyable memoir, Moon Trip. Allende is rich in carbon and the calcium-rich inclusions (CAIs) in the Allende meteorite are about 4.6 billion years old. Allende also contains microscopic diamonds which are believed to be the last remnants of an exploding sun that predates our own solar system by billions of years! As such, at an estimated 12 billion years, they are by far the oldest things any human has ever touched.

Allende Slices

Allende Individuals

Bassikounou

Ordinary chondrite H5, Witnessed fall in Mauritania, October 16, 2006

At approximately 4 am on the morning of October 16, 2006 a shower of stones fell in and around the village of Bassikounou in the southeast corner of Mauritania, near the border with Mali. Many stones, including this one, were picked up very shortly after the fall in a 8 km strewnfield, and as a result the pristine black fusion crust has been perfectly preserved.

Bechar 008

Achondrite, Howardite Bechar, Algeria found 2022 What are howardites? Howardites are a kind of meteorite that scientists believe originated from asteroid 4 Vesta. Their name comes from a British chemist named Edward Charles Howard, born in 1774, who is remembered for his extensive contributions to meteorite science. Specifically, howardite meteorites are achondritic regolith breccias.“Achondritic” means that they are achondrites and do not contain chondrules. “Regolith” refers to a loose blanket of rock fragments, soil, and dust that lies on top of solid rock. In fact, the Greek word “rhego” means “blanket.”A breccia is a rock that is made up of other angular rock fragments that were cemented together. This means we often see fragments of other HED meteorites, like eucrites and diogenites, inside howardites. We also see other meteorites, like carbonaceous chondrites, in howardites. Think of them as a mysterious, cosmic kaleidoscope! Putting all those ideas together, regolith breccia from Vesta is a mix of angular, shard-like fragments of a variety of meteorites. They are smashed together with Vesta’s indigenous rock, and then blasted off into space by yet another giant meteorite impact that formed the massive craters we see on Vesta’s surface. It is quite an origin story. Bechar 008 is an example of a howardite. A group of meteorite hunters in Alergia found fragments of this material in 2022. Later on, Mohamed Ali Loud bought about 1,700g of Bechar 008 from a meteorite dealer in Mauritania. When studied, scientists observe clasts of eucritic gabbro and diogenitic pyroxene inside of Bechar 008, among other features. In fact, 10-20% of Bechar 008’s volume is diognetic components.

Bencubbin

Carbonaceous chondrite, CBa Found in Australia, 1930 The strangest space rock! Bencubbin, found in Australia in 1930, gives its name to the ultra-rare bencubbin class. Appearing in every way like an iron (or at least a stony-iron) meteorite, it is, bizarrely, actually a stone carbonaceous chondrite. Showing unique features, this odd bird of the space lanes is as strange as they come, and almost, never available on the collectors’ market.

Camel Donga

Achondrite, Ca-rich. Eucrite-mmict Found January 1984 near Camel Donga, on the Nullarbor Plain, Western Australia, Australia. Eucrites are part of the HED (howardite, eucrite, diogenite) group of stones and all three are quite closely related. HED group achondrites are stone meteorites without chondrules, and some specialists believe they may have originate on the large asteroid Vesta. The total recovered weight of all Camel Donga stones is estimated at only 50 kg, and this unusual and intriguing meteorite is very rarely offered for sale. The Camel Donga strewnfield was discovered in 1984 in a very remote part of Western Australia on the Nullarbor Plain. It is a Ca-rich meteorite and exhibits a remarkably glossy fusion crust, which is typical of this type of meteorite.

Carancas

Ordinary chondrite, H4-5 Carancas, Chucuito, Puno, Peru, Fell: 15 September 2007, ~16: 45 UTC The Carancas meteorite event occurred September 15, 2007 in Peru, near Lake Titicaca and the Bolivian border. Eyewitnesses reported saying, "Boiling water started coming out of the crater, and particles of rock and cinders were found nearby," and that, "fetid, noxious" gases were escaping from the crater. The meteorite’s impact created a small crater in the soft clay soil, and approximately 600 villagers became ill after the event. Experts believed that the vaporization of troilite present in large quantities in Carancas, might have been the cause for the villagers’ illness. Villagers who visited the site after the impact also reported illness, though all who were affected reportedly recovered a few days later. Carancas was classified by a team of scientists working at the University of Arizona. Found to be an H chondrite breccia, most Carancas pieces are without fusion crust and are light grey in color, with some visible chondrules and dark shock veins.

Chelyabinsk

Ordinary chondrite, LL5 Witnessed fall in Chelyabinskaya oblast’, Russia on February 15, 2013 at 9:22 a.m. Every meteorite enthusiast will forever remember the astonishing news of the truly massive fireball and explosions over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk in February of 2013. It was easily the largest meteoritic event since the Sikhote-Alin fall of 1947. Many of these pieces show impact melt features and a dark grey to nearly black interior. This superbolide was traveling at an astonishing speed of 42,900 mph and generated light brighter than sun. The shock wave from the fireball caused damage to over 7,000 buildings spreading across six cities.

Chelyabinsk Individuals

Chergach

Ordinary chondrite, H5 Witnessed fall on the 2nd or 3rd of July 2007, in the daytime, Southwest of El Mokhtar, Erg Chech, Timbuktu district, Mali A new meteorite fall was reported in the Republic of Mali in Western Africa in July 2007, making this stone a more recent meteorite arrival on earth. It is a very fresh fall with extremely rich, black fusion crust. The first specimens were tentatively named Mali, but the name was later officially changed to Chergach, after the nearby town of Erg Chech. Meteoritical Bulletin states: “Nomads reported the stones fell after a smoke cloud was seen and several detonations were heard over a wide area during daytime in July 2007. The finder of the first meteorites was Mr Ouled Bleila, who died in a car accident on his way back from the trip to the Chergach strewn field in October 2007. According to the Tuareg people from Algeria who visited the fall site in September 2007, the elliptical strewn field stretches for more than 20 km in a northeasterly direction. No fireball was reported.”

Clarendon (c)

Ordinary chondrite, L4 Found on April 6, 2015 in Clarendon, Texas Clarendon (c) is perhaps the only meteorite to be discovered by a horse. In addition, it happens to be one of the largest chondrites ever found in the United States. Frank and DeeDee Hommel, owners of the Bar H Working Dude Ranch in Clarendon, Texas, went out on horseback the morning of April 6, 2015. Sometime along their ride, their horses “went crazy” when they encountered and sniffed a rather bizarre 760-pound rock a few acres away from the ranch. They, along with Aerolite Meteorites CEO Geoff Notkin and colleague Ruben Garcia, uncovered several more kilograms of fragments from the site. The main mass now resides at the Texas Christian University in Fort Worth where it will be displayed to thousands of visitors.

Dalgety Downs

Ordinary chondrite, L4 Found in Western Australia, 1941 South of Dalgety Downs, Australia in 1941, 217 kilograms of broken fragments — which came from a single large mass — were found. Several additional masses were recovered in subsequent decades. Totaling an impressive total find weight of nearly 500 kilograms, making Dalgety Downs the largest L4 meteorite on record to date. The exteriors of this marvelous meteorite have been weathered as it sat on the surface of our planet in a hot desert climate for potentially thousands of years, being affected by the elements. The interiors display chondrules and are a gorgeous pale blue color — beautiful in contrast to the metal flakes.

Dar al Gani (DaG) 521

Ordinary Chondrite, CV3 Found in Libya, 1997 Dar al Gani (DaG) 521 is a carbonaceous chondrite that belongs to the CV3 group, the same classification as the celebrated Allende meteorite that fell in Mexico in 1969. The “V” is for Vigarano, a meteorite that fell in Italy in 1910 and is the first known example of this group. CV3s show large chondrules, but little alteration, meaning they have survived, largely unchanged, since the birth of our solar system. The DaG 521 find consisted of a single stone weighing 1,567 grams and recovered in 1997 on a limestone plateau in Libya, known as Dar al Gani. It was examined and classified by the Museo Nazionale dell’Antartide, Università di Siena in Siena, Italy. It was acquired and prepared by meteorite expert Allan Lang of R.A. Langheinrich Meteorites, shortly after its 1990s recovery and has remained in his collection until now. This rare CV3 is seldom available to collectors and we have not seen a specimen offered for sale for many years.

Dimmitt

Ordinary chondrite, H3.7 Found in Texas, United States, 1942 This ruddy chondrite fell in prehistoric times near what is now Dimmitt, Texas. Dimmitt is classified as a rare H3.7, joined in this classification by many Antarctic meteorites that are virtually unattainable. The strewn field has yielded an impressive amount of Dimmitt meteorites, and it’s now one of the largest meteorites known from North America. Dimmit H-chondrites are regolith breccia, meaning they’re composed of angular rock fragments that have been cemented together. “Regolith” refers to the upper surface of the parent body. As such, Dimmitt meteorites have been and have been known to contain clasts of other types of rock, such as LL5 and carbonaceous clasts. Regolith breccias also contain solar-wind gases and solar-flare tracks.

Djoua 001

Gao-Guenie

Ordinary chondrite, H5 Witnessed fall in Burkina Faso, March 5, 1960 A large number of meteorites fell about 1700 hours on March 5, 1960 over the African nations of Burkina Faso (previously the Republic or Upper Volat) and the resulting thunderous sound was heard over 100 kilometers away! Many pieces were later found by farmers working in their fields. Originally named Gao, its was later determined by scientists to be identical to another African meteorite, Guenie, and the two names were fused into one. Specimens show fusion crust and an attractive ochre-patina. Many also show classic features of orientation, including rollover lips.

Gao-Guenie Individuals

Most incoming potential meteorites spin and tumble as they plummet through the atmosphere. Occasionally, one will maintain a fixed orientation towards the surface of our planet, causing the leading edge to ablate into a shield, nose cone, or bullet shape. When meteorites ablate, some of their mass is removed as a result of vaporization. Meteorites which display such features are quite rare, highly collectible, and are described as oriented. Oriented meteorites were studied by early NASA spacecraft designers and the leading edges of such meteorites are reminiscent of the heat shields on Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space capsules.

Gold Basin

Ordinary chondrite, L4 Found in United States, 1995 An Arizona gold prospector, Jim Kriegh, discovered ancient stone meteorites in an area of arroyos in Mohave County, Arizona. His friend and fellow metal detectorist, Twink Monrad, joined him in the hunt and they spent years carefully documenting their finds. Gold Basin has been described as “one of best mapped strewnfields in history.” We filmed a first season episode of Meteorite Men at this famous site in 2009.

Gold Basin Fragments

Gold Basin Slices

Grapevine Mesa

Carbonaceous chondrite, CBa Found Mohave County, Arizona, United States on February 6, 2021 Grapevine Mesa is home to the Grapevine Mesa Joshua Tree forest in Mohave County, Arizona. The natural landmark consists of 3,206 acres and countless mysterious Joshua trees, also called “desert daggers.” The name “Joshua tree” apparently comes from Mormon settlers who crossed the Mojave in the mid-19th century—the trees, used as guides to traverse the desert, reminded settlers the biblical story of Joshua and the Israelites’ conquest of Canaan. The Grapevine Mesa meteorite is classified as a carbonaceous chondrite of the CB group, described as Bencubbin-like chondrites distinguished by objects that appear similar to chondrules and abundant metal. The space rocks were discovered on February 6, 2021 by metal detectorists who had originally set out looking for gold. The stones are fusion-crusted and appear oxidized, owing to their iron-rich composition. Cba meteorites are incredibly rare, and its serendipitous arrival on the meteorite market was met with great intrigue and excitement.

Hamilton

Ordinary chondrite, L6 Found in Australia, 1966 Hamilton is a stone, veined olivine – hypersthene chondrite meteorite found near Hamilton Station in Queensland, Australia. We are pleased to present Hamilton, as we have not seen them in quite some time. These coffee colored chondrite part slices came out of an old collection and were purchased by Geoffrey in the back of an old train car where they have been stored. They are sliced thick and stand up naturally on their own. Marvelous!

Hammadah al Hamra 346

Ordinary chondrite, L6 Gharyan, Libya, Find, possible fall: 2018 Hammadah al Hamra 346 “Ghadamis” is recorded as a possible witnessed fall in Libya on August 26, 2018. Note the rich black fusion crust and large well-formed regmaglypts on these excellent whole stones. The freshness of the crust indicates they were picked shortly after the fall and has experienced little, if any, weathering. Chips in the crust, likely acquired during flight or upon impact, show a light interior with a few relict chondrules. Given the absence of weathering of the stones, it is speculated Ghadamis originated from the 2018 meteor seen over this region. In 2019, Mr. Marcin Cimala purchased 30 kilograms of stones from a Mauritanian meteorite dealer. Stones of this possible fall are currently being traded under the name of Hammadah al Hamra 346 and Ghadamis.

Homestead

Jiddat al Harasis 264

Ordinary chondrite, H4-5 Found in Al Wusta, Oman, 2005 Jiddat al Harasis 264 is named after the desert where it was found in Oman. The desert is the largest strewnfield of meteorites in the country and home to many endangered species, including the Arabian oryx and the Arabian gazelle. Classified as a stone H4-5, JaH 264 comes from the high-iron chemical group of ordinary chondrites and contains abundant chondrules. Science indicates that the H chondrite parent body could be asteroid 6 Hebe, the fifth-brightest object in the asteroid belt. Discovered by Karl Ludwig Hencke, Hebe was named after the Greek goddess of youth.

Kainsaz

Labenne Sahara

During the mid-to-late 1990s the French meteorite hunting family Labenne started finding stone meteorites in the arid deserts of Northwest Africa. These finds were made years before the NWA classification system was adopted, and were some of the very first Sahara finds. Each carries a unique hand painted field number. For example “99053” was the 53rd meteorite found during the 1999 expedition. Several have nice polished windows. Luc Labenne continues to be an active member of the meteorite community and Aerolite values its long friendship and professional association with this extraordinary and adventurous European family. These beautiful Labenne Sahara meteorites are an unclassified ordinary chondrites.Some contain a hand-painted field number, “Sahara 99955,” which indicates that it was recovered during the Labenne family’s 1999 Sahara expedition. Precursors to the NWA (Northwest Africa) influx of meteorites, Labenne Saharas are desirable and attractive historic pieces.

Millbillillie

Mont Tourniat 002

Rumuruti chondrite (R3) Found November, 2022 in Tiris Zemmour, Mauritania Rumuruti meteorites are named after the town of Rumuruti in Kenya, where the first specimen of this meteorite group fell on January 28 in 1934. At 10:45pm local time, a dazzling light was followed by loud explosions as several stones, with a total weight of only a few pounds, fell to Earth over a quarter of a mile. The only known 67-gram stone has been held in a collection at the Museum fur Naturkunde in Berlin, Germany. Less than 0.5% of chondrites are classified as R chondrites. Type 3 Rumuruti meteorites, such as Mont Tourniat 002, are of special interest to scientists because they represent formation under more oxidizing conditions compared to other groups of chondrites. Some R chondrites are also believed to contain evidence of alteration by fluids, which formed hydrated minerals such as amphiboles and biotite. These rocks were then dehydrated during thermal metamorphism, according to recent research.

Mvskoke Merkv

Mvskoke Merkv (muh-skō-gee myth-guh). The Muscogee Nation’s homeland was originally in what is now Tennessee, Alabama, western Georgia, and parts of northern Florida. Their people were forcibly removed to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, in the 1830s during the Trail of Tears. At 3:37 A.M. on January 20, 2023 a fireball was reported to be seen streaking the sky over Muskogee, Oklahoma. Meteorite hunters descended upon the area, immediately. The hunters scrutinized Doppler radar data to triangulate the meteorite’s strewnfield. They collectively recovered five stones. Several days after the initial hunting team left the area, a local discovered a hammerstone that struck a barn roof weighing 388 grams, which was broken in two pieces. The six total recovered stones weigh 1,418.7 grams. The five specimens collected by the initial team are 309.8 grams, 260.3 grams (recovered by a land owner), 262.7 grams, 127.5 grams and 70.6 grams. The 309.8-gram stone was prepared into slices, to be sold into private collections. The 127.5-gram specimen is in its finder’s collection, where it will remain indefinitely. The 260.3-gram, the 262.7-gram, and the 70.6-gram stones were acquired by Aerolite Meteorites; subsequently, the 260.3-gram was purchased by the University of Oklahoma (OU) for public display. Aerolite is honored to have donated for the classification and study to the Buseck Center for Meteorite Studies Arizona State University (ASU). Aerolite worked with OU to insure a full slice of the marvelous witnessed fall was donated back to the Muscogee Nation. Aerolite, the classifying body at ASU, and UO also contacted the Nation's leadership with a request to assist in officially naming the meteorite. The Nation suggested "Merkv," which means "blessings" in their language.

Nagjir 001

Nagjir 001 is a CV3 found in Rio de Oro, Western Sahara. Meaning “River of Gold” in Spanish, Rio de Oro was one of the two territories that made up the Spanish Sahara in the 19th century. Its name comes from a legendary River of Gold that was thought to be in Western Africa—the Portuguese dispatched explorers there with hopes of finding it in the 15th century. Although no gold was discovered, the name stuck. What was found there, however, were four pieces of rock that fit together like a puzzle. That rock was found to be a meteorite, and not just any kind—a rare CV3. The CV3 group comprises some of the most sought-after meteorites, and for good reason. They’re fascinating to study because they’re rich in carbon and calcium-rich inclusions (CAIs), which are about 4.6 billion years old. CV3s also show large chondrules, but little alteration, meaning they have survived, largely unchanged, since the birth of our solar system.

New Orleans

Ordinary chondrite (H5) Fell Sept 23rd, 2003 in New Orleans, Louisiana USA On the afternoon of September 23rd 2003, a meteorite crashed through the two-story home of Ray and Judy Fausset, who were not at home at the time. Neighbors said that they heard a “terrific noise.”  Two observations of a fireball were recorded. The main mass of the meteorite was found in the crawl space under the house. Powdery meteorite debris and fragments were found along the penetration path throughout the house. A total mass of 19.256 kg was recovered from the Fausset house, the three largest fragments weighing 2966 g, 1292 g and 1001 g. Some additional material (~100 g) was also recovered in the surrounding neighborhood.  Description and classification (S. Nelson, Tulane University; R. Jones and A. Brearley, UNM; T. Bunch and J. Wittke, NAU): The meteorite is light grey with a black fusion crust, and very friable. Abundant metal and troilite are visible on broken surfaces, as well as some thin (mm-thick) impact melt veins. Classification and mineralogy: The meteorite is very fragmented on a sub-mm scale. Mean compositions of olivine, Fa17.6; orthopyroxene, Fs15.4Wo1.4; clinopyroxene, Fs10.4Wo24.8; plagioclase, An12.8Or5.6; metal, Ni = 6.7 wt %, Co = 0.38 %. Minor chromite and phosphate are present. The meteorite broke a pipe and many fragments sat in water for several days. Because of this and the humid climate in New Orleans, light oxidation of interior metal within small fragments (<100 g) was evident within a week of the fall. Shock level, S1. Specimens: type specimens 82 g UNM and 63 g NAU; main mass with owner.

Northwest Africa 10514 | Eucrite

HED achondrite, Eucrite, monomict Found in Northwest Africa, 2015 Eucrites are rare achondrite (without chondrules) meteorites that belong to the HED class. HED meteorites are thought to have originated within the large asteroid Vesta, making them part of only a tiny handful of meteorites with a specific known origin point — lunar and Martian meteorites being the others. Eucrites are particularly difficult to find in the field as — unlike the vast majority of other meteorites — they contain little or no iron, so will not attract strongly to a magnet. The eucrite NWA 10514 is a marvelous stone with a ton of character. There are only 12 kilograms of this meteorite available in the world.

Northwest Africa 11174 | H5

Ordinary chondrite, H5 Found in Eastern Morocco, 2010 NWA 11174 was found by nomads in Eastern Morocco. Only 21 stones were recovered, they were purchased by a dealer in Morocco, and then purchased by Aerolite. They are 51.4 to 1289 g, with a total recovered weight of 7411.1 grams.

Northwest Africa 11342 | Diogenite

HED achondrite (Diogenite) Found in Morocco, 2017 Diogenites are a fascinating rock type -- they are thought to be of plutonic origin. In both terrestrial and extraterrestrial geology, plutonic rocks are intrusive igneous rocks. That means they were once lava, but instead of being thrown out by a volcano and cooling on the surface, they cooled slowly underground. Slow cooling means they had time to grow large crystals which are often green in color. The other Vesta meteorite types — howardites and eucrites — journeyed to Earth from a giant asteroid’s surface, but diogenites are different. They originated deep underground and were delivered here on because of the catastrophic meteorite impacts that occurred on Vesta (or a Vesta-like asteroid known as a vestoid) in the distant past. Diogenites are cooled crystalline magma (or lava), excavated from deep inside the asteroid by a meteorite impact so tremendous, it blasted right through the crust to the interior. The excavated material was expelled into space and some of it eventually landed on Earth as diogenite meteorites. Only a single stone of NWA 11342 was found in Morocco in 2017, and these complete laboratory-prepared slices were taken from it. NWA 11342 was classified by Aerolite Meteorites through the Institute of Meteoritics in Albuquerque, NM and the type specimen remains in their permanent collection.

Northwest Africa 11615 | LL3

Northwest Africa 11700 | H4

Ordinary chondrite, H4 Found in Temara, Morocco, 2017 NWA 11700 was purchased in the coastal city of Temara, Morocco and exhibits tightly packed, small chondrules set in a recrystallized matrix. An H4, 11700 is an ordinary chondrite; H type chondrites likely originate from asteroid 6 Hebe, or from small near-Earth asteroids that had, in the past, broken off from 6 Hebe. Other, less likely parent body candidates include 3 Juno and 7 Iris.

Northwest Africa 12217 | Achondrite-ung

Ungrouped achondrite Found in Morocco 2015 Purchased in 2015, Northwest Africa 12217 is an ungrouped achondrite. Some stones exhibit partial fusion crust and a fragmental breccia interior. The meteorite is rich in olivine (the interior of the meteorite reveals large olivine fragments) and studies show that its composition is consistent with an origin of a highly differential body—meaning the parent body had a crust, mantle, and core. NWA 12217 is a cumulate dunite breccia. Dunite is almost entirely composed of olivine and was formed deep in the mantle of the parent body. Finds like these are significant because they bring us a step closer to understanding the differentiation process that took planetismals to planets in the earliest days of the Solar System.

Northwest Africa 12322 | CV3

Carbonaceous chondrite, CV3 Found in Niger, 2018 These impressive carbonaceous chondrite meteorite slices are packed with abundant multi-colored chondrules. Containing organic compounds and divided into five subclasses, there is little in the world of meteorites that fascinates like carbonaceous chondrites. Rare and very ancient, some have been shown to contain water, carbon, and even amino acids, suggesting they may have brought the building blocks of life to Earth. As in this specimen, the CV3 sub-group often displays beautiful chondrules (small, glassy spheres) that formed 4.6 billion years ago, at the very dawn of the solar system.

Northwest Africa 12925 | CK5

Carbonaceous chondrite, CK5 Morocco, 2018 Found in 2018, NWA 12925 was purchased in Morocco before being submitted for classification. The stone displays a delicate, fusion-crusted exterior and a grey interior sporting some scattered visible CAIs and large chondrules. Though the parent body of these space rocks has yet to be identified, scientists think the anomalies found in the meteorite’s rare earth element abundances are property these rare rocks inherited from the refractory precursors the early solar nebula produced. NWA 12925 is a carbonaceous chondrite, meaning that they contain organic compounds, even water, and amino acids. It’s important to note that while they contain compounds essential to life, the presence of these compounds in these meteorites does not imply that life was present in them or on the parent body from which the meteorite originated. The CK group, which takes its name from the Karoonda meteorite that fell in Australia, is described as being “distinguished by abundant fine-grained matrix (~75 vol%), mm-sized chondrules that lack igneous rims, relatively few refractory inclusions, and a high degree of oxidation,” by the Meteoritical Society.

Northwest Africa 12932 | Unbrecciated Eucrite

Eucrite, unbrecciated Purchased in 2016, Mauritania There is a low total known weight of this great eucrite, at 2.91 kilograms, Aerolite holds the majority of the stone. What is a eucrite? These are meteorites that are thought to have come from asteroid Vesta. They are part of the HED class of meteorites, which includes howardites, eucrites, and diogenites. Eucrites are achondrites, meaning they do not contain chondrules. It’s likely that these meteorites come from planetary bodies that have undergone differentiation. In larger bodies, heat and gravity often cause heavier elements to sink into the body’s deep interior, forming a core, a mantle, and a crust. Achondrites often represent the crust or mantle of such bodies. Scientists believe Vesta has an iron-nickel core, an olivine mantle, and a crust. Eucrites are also basalt, meaning they are cooled igneous rock, or lava. Vesta’s crust is made up of basaltic material, which was once molten. This material came from Vesta’s mantle, either in progressive eruptions or as an ocean of magma. In fact, images of Vesta reveal that the asteroid has large, exposed areas of this ancient cooled lava. Areas like this are also observed on the Moon, where they are described using the word “mare,” the Latin word for “sea.” What does the word “eucrite” mean? The name for these meteorites comes from the Greek word “eukritos,” meaning “easily distinguished.” Eucrites are very different from other meteorites in several ways. Inside, they contain large silicate grains, and they are also very light in color and weight. Like terrestrial pumice, eucrites are low in density and contain virtually no iron. All these factors combined make these Vesta lava rocks very difficult to find and recover.

Northwest Africa 13279 | CV3

Carbonaceous chondrite, CV3 Found in Morocco, 2019 NWA 13279 was purchased in 2019 from a Moroccan dealer and classified as an exciting CV3. The CV3s are a subgroup of carbonaceous chondrites that take their name from the Vigarano meteorite, a witnessed fall that fell in 1910 in Italy. Carbonaceous chondrites are rare and very ancient; they contain organic compounds like carbon, water, and even amino acids. The CV3s, a special group of carbonaceous chondrites, exhibit large chondrules, some of which are surrounded by igneous rims, and large inclusions. These chondrules are believed to have formed 4.6 billion years ago, at the very dawn of the solar system. CV3s in particular are unequilibrated chondrites, meaning that the minerals they contain (like olivine and pyroxene) show a wide range of compositions. This suggests that these minerals formed in the solar nebula under volatile conditions. The solar nebula was a flat, rotating disk of gas and dust which condensed to form the solar system.

Northwest Africa 13758 | R3

Rumuruti chondrite (R3) Found in Adrar, Algeria 2017

History: A large group of identically appearing stones, found together, was purchased by a Saharan dealer from a nomad in Algeria and was subsequently acquired by Mark Lyon and Dustin Dickens. The original find was reportedly in the Tanezrouft Plateau, with the nearest town being Reggane, Algeria.

Physical characteristics: Approximately 500 pieces ranging in mass from <1 kg to >5 kg, with a total known weight of approximately 100 kg. Dark brown sandblasted exterior. Saw cut reveals a breccia with fragments up to ~2 cm set in a fine-grained matrix. Abundant distinct chondrules are visible throughout. Two main lithologic domains exist within this meteorite, one has a gray, unstained matrix, and the second has a brownish-orange-stained matrix.

Petrography: (C. Agee, UNM) Chondrite with mean apparent chondrule size 350±240 µm (n=21) set in abundant matrix (~35 vol%). Electron microprobe analyses were performed separately on the two main lithologic domains. Domain "A" has compositionally unequilibrated olivine and pyroxene both in chondrules as well as single mineral fragments in the matrix. Very small grains of albitic plagioclase are present. Chromite, pentlandite, and troilite are ubiquitous. No metal or oxidized iron was detected. Domain "B" has compositionally unequilibrated olivine and pyroxene both in chondrules as well as single mineral fragments in the matrix. Domain "B" appears to have slightly more chondrules than domain "A". Very small grains of albitic plagioclase were present. Ti-rich chromite, pentlandite, and Ni-bearing troilite are ubiquitous. No metal or oxidized iron was detected.-as per the Meteoritical Bulletin

Northwest Africa 13917 | Winonaite

Winonaite, a primitive achondrite Purchased in 2020 in Morocco NWA 13917 proved to be a remarkable find. The stone was classified as a Winonaite, a primitive achondrite. Primitive achondrites are “non-chondrites,” in that they are pieces of differentiated planetary bodies, like the Moon or Mars, which are defined as having distinct layers, like a core, mantle, and crust. Planetary differentiation occurs on planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, and moons. They are deemed primitive because scientists have observed that some have relic chondrules and compositions that closely resemble those of chondrites, meaning that the stones have retained much of their original chondritic features. The interior of NWA 13917 reveals fine-grained metal veins, resembling lightning bolts, set in a mosaic of minerals. Forsterite, also known as “white olivine,” was also detected in NWA 13917; in 2005, data returned by NASA’s Stardust probe indicated that forsterite is present in cometary dust. In 2011, NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope observed tiny crystals of forsterite in clouds of gas surrounding a forming star. NWA 13917 exhibits a low shock stage, meaning that the matrix has not been extensively fractured.

Northwest Africa 14613 | H5

Ordinary chondrite (H5) Northwest Africa, 2018 Purchased by the Aerolite Meteorites team in 2018 from a Moroccan dealer, NWA 14613 is classified as an H5 chondrite. A dark exterior offsets light grey chondrules revealed in its interior when cut and polished. The parent body of H chondrites is yet unknown, but scientists have pinpointed S-type asteroid 6 Hebe as a possible candidate, with less likely candidates being 3 June and 7 Iris. Of particular note is that H chondrites overall have similar trace element abundances and oxygen isotope ratios to IIE iron meteorites, indicating that they may have originated from the same parent body. Specimens: 25 g including a probe mount on deposit at UNM, Aerolite holds the main mass.

Northwest Africa 15468 | OC4-melt breccia

Northwest Africa 15662 | LL3

Ordinary Chondrite, LL3 Found in Northwest Africa, 2022 Forty matching stones were purchased from an Algerian meteorite dealer. They have a reddish brown weathered exterior. Some display patches of smooth fusion crust while others lack fusion crust entirely. When prepared in the lab, the saw-cut surface reveals densely packed large chondrules some up to 4 mm in diameter! Some research indicates that L chondrite meteorites may have had their origin in the Ordovician meteor event, which occurred about 467.5 million years ago. Scientists theorize that during this event, fragments from the L chondrite parent body -- believed to have been destroyed about 468 million years ago -- that had made it into Earth-crossing orbits, rained down on Earth. Some sources theorize that this event may have contributed to, or even instigated, the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event, one of the greatest evolutionary events in the history of life on Earth; it spanned the entire globe and saw vast increases in the variety of types of creatures that inhabited this planet.

Northwest Africa 16094 | Eucrite

Achondrite, eucrite Purchased in Erfoud, Morocco in 2023 Northwest Africa 16094 is an Aerolite co-classification! In 2023, Aerolite company president, Elizabeth, and Steve Arnold purchased a 1,180-gram sample from a meteorite dealer in Erfoud. What makes the NWA 16094 meteorite special is its glossy fusion crust. Evidence of the meteorite’s journey through our atmosphere, the fusion crust also exhibits flow lines. These features are only seen in situations when the fusion crust has been well-preserved. What is a eucrite? These are meteorites that are thought to have come from asteroid Vesta. They are part of the HED class of meteorites, which includes howardites, eucrites, and diogenites. Eucrites are achondrites, meaning they do not contain chondrules. It’s likely that these meteorites come from planetary bodies that have undergone differentiation. In larger bodies, heat and gravity often cause heavier elements to sink into the body’s deep interior, forming a core, a mantle, and a crust. Achondrites often represent the crust or mantle of such bodies. Scientists believe Vesta has an iron-nickel core, an olivine mantle, and a crust. Eucrites are also basalt, meaning they are cooled igneous rock, or lava. Vesta’s crust is made up of basaltic material, which was once molten. This material came from Vesta’s mantle, either in progressive eruptions or as an ocean of magma. In fact, images of Vesta reveal that the asteroid has large, exposed areas of this ancient cooled lava. Areas like this are also observed on the Moon, where they are described using the word “mare,” the Latin word for “sea.” What does the word “eucrite” mean? The name for these meteorites comes from the Greek word “eukritos,” meaning “easily distinguished.” Eucrites are very different from other meteorites in several ways. Inside, they contain large silicate grains, and they are also very light in color and weight. Like terrestrial pumice, eucrites are low in density and contain virtually no iron. All these factors combined make these Vesta lava rocks very difficult to find and recover.

Northwest Africa 16181 | LL3

Carbonaceous chondrite, LL3 Found in Errachidia, Morocco 2023 A singular stone was purchased from a Moroccan dealer in Errachidia, Morocco by Aerolite’s president, Elizabeth. Upon inspection, the meteorite was classified as an LL3. These chondrites are the rarest of the ordinary chondrites; the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) sent a spacecraft, the Hayabusa, on a return sample mission to an asteroid, called Itokawa, that turned out to be of the LL chondrite type. Scientists theorize that during this event, fragments from the L chondrite parent body — believed to have been destroyed about 468 million years ago — that had made it into Earth-crossing orbits rained down on Earth. This event may have contributed to, or even instigated, the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event, one of the greatest evolutionary events in the history of life on Earth; it spanned the entire globe and saw vast increases in the variety of types of creatures that inhabited this planet.

Northwest Africa 16242 | CV3

Carbonaceous chondrite (CV3) Purchased in Erfoud Morocco, 2023 The NWA 16242 meteorite is a single stone, broken in two. Fitting together like a puzzle, the interior of this rare CV3 shows large and abundant calcium-aluminum-inclusions, or CAIs, distinctive to this type of space rock. Rare and very ancient, some CV3 meteorites have been shown to contain water, carbon, and even amino acids, suggesting they may have brought the building blocks of life to Earth. As in this specimen, the CV3 sub-group often displays beautiful chondrules (small, glassy spheres) that formed 4.6 billion years ago. CV3s also show large chondrules, but little alteration, meaning they have survived, largely unchanged, since the birth of our solar system.

Northwest Africa 4502 | CV3

Carbonaceous chondrite, CV3 Found in Algeria, 2005 With its shiny black exterior and dark brown interior, punctuated by large orange chondrules, this interesting carbonaceous chondrite looks very atypical from most members of its group. Classified by T. Bunch and J. Wittke it is officially described in the Meteoritical Bulletin has having “well-defined chondrules, chondrule fragments, and refractory inclusions set in a slightly weathered matrix.” Our full slices, half stones, and end cuts have been highly polished on a diamond lap to show 4502’s intriguing interior features in the best possible light. With its colorful undifferentiated chondrules, 4502 is a glimpse back to the formation of our solar system, over 4.6 billion years ago.

Northwest Africa 7454 | CV3

Carbonaceous chondrite, CV3 Found in Northwest Africa, 2012 A kaleidoscope of chondrules! The colorful, rounded grains clearly visible in NWA 7454 are chondrules that formed in the solar nebula 4.6 billion years ago, as our solar system was being built. These tiny glass spheres hold within them a key to understanding how the rocky bodies of the solar system — including our very own home planet Earth — were born.

Northwest Africa 7457 | L5-melt breccia

Ordinary Chondrite, L5-melt breccia Found in Northwest Africa 2011 Described by A. Irving and S. Kuehner, at the University of Washington as clasts of L5 chondrite material containing sparse chondrules are present within a shock-darkened matrix containing ragged, variably-sized grains of Fe-Ni metal. Olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, sodic plagioclase, chromite, altered kamacite and troilite. And containing: Olivine (Fa25.3-25.4), orthopyroxene (Fs20.2-20.6Wo1.3-1.4), clinopyroxene (Fs7.4-8.1Wo45.1-43.7).

Northwest Africa 7831 | Diogenite

HED Achondrite, Diogenite Found in Western Sahara, 2013 Vesta is the largest and brightest asteroid in the asteroid belt and the second largest body overall (after the dwarf planet Ceres), with an average diameter of about 525 km (326 miles). That is pretty close to the size of the State of Colorado. Vesta was discovered by the German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers in 1807. A couple of billion years ago two massive impacts ejected part of Vesta’s mass and some of that material landed here on Earth as HED (howardite, eucrite, and diogenite) meteorites. It’s astonishing to consider that when you look at photographs of Vesta, or even through a powerful telescope, the actual craters from which the HED meteorites were blasted out can easily be seen, such as Rheasilvia which is over 300 miles wide. So, you could hold one of these HED meteorites in your hand, look at a photo of Vesta, and say to yourself: This came from right there! The other Vesta meteorite types — howardites and eucrites — journeyed to Earth from that giant asteroid’s surface, but diogenites are different. They originated deep underground and were delivered here on because of the catastrophic meteorite impacts that occurred on Vesta in the distant past. Diogenites are cooled crystalline magma (or lava), excavated from deep inside Vesta by a meteorite impact so tremendous, it blasted right through the crust to the interior of our largest asteroid. The excavated material was expelled into space and some of it eventually landed on Earth as diogenite meteorites.

Northwest Africa 869 | L3-6

Ordinary chondrite, L3–6 Found in Northwest Africa, 2000 The enigmatic Northwest Africa (NWA) 869 meteorite, found in the year 2000 is, geologically one of the more interesting stone meteorites available to collectors and has been described as a “meteorite science classroom in a single rock.” NWA 869 comes with a highly unusual classification, L 3–6, meaning it exhibits characteristics of different meteorite types (L3 through L6) within a single mass. It is almost as if dissimilar materials were crushed together into a new form. And, in fact, that may be exactly what happened. NWA 869 is a regolith breccia. A regolith is a loose deposit that lies on top of solid rock. Regoliths are seen here on Earth, on the moon, and also on some asteroids. A terrestrial Earth regolith might form as a result of several different actions working together: the weathering of rock by freeze/thaw process, or wind abrasion, for example, and often in combination with plant roots expanding cracks in the rock. There is no wind on the moon, and — we assume — no plants on the asteroids, so extraterrestrial regoliths must be generated by very different processes: likely the repeated impact of meteorites upon the surface of an asteroid, or the collision of asteroids. This regolith breccia is, therefore, believed to be a mix of materials from many sources (meteorites / asteroids) that formed in space and later landed here on Earth, bringing its apocalyptic history with it. In other words, meteorites landing on the surface of NWA 869s parent body (its original “home” asteroid) created a new mixture of materials. So, the meteorite NWA 869 may actually be a collection of many different meteorites in one!

NWA 869 Slices

We consider NWA 869 to have one of the most attractive interiors of any chondrite and these gorgeous full slices show this fascinating chondrite at its absolute best. All pieces have been expertly prepared by one of our top labs and meticulously finished on a diamond lap to the very highest standards.

NWA 869 Individuals

Northwest Africa XXX | Unclassified Stones

Stone meteorites (H and L chondrites) Found in Northwest Africa Official numbers and names are assigned only to meteorites that have gone through the complex and time-consuming process of classification by an accredited laboratory. There are only a small number of labs in the world authorized to do this type of specialized work. As resources are limited, finders / owners sometimes elect not to go through the classification process and, instead, assign an unofficial designation, like “NWA XXX” to a particular meteorite. Such is the case with these attractive stones.

NWA XXX Slices

NWA XXX End Cuts

NWA XXX Individuals

Norton County

Achondrite, Aubrite Witnessed Fall in Norton County, Kansas United States, 1948 The Norton County fireball terrified animals and people, with colossal explosions and an "angry white cloud" in the sky. This rare aubrite, with bright white interior, crash landed to Earth in Kansas at 3:56 p.m. on February 18th, 1948. Meteorite hunters traced the probable fall, but unfortunately, had to leave the area because of snowfall. They left notes with the locals upon their departure. It wasn't until April 6th that pieces were recovered by a farmer. He reported it sparkled "like a million diamonds." July 3rd, farmers nearly drove a tractor into an 8' diameter x 10' deep hole. They found a massive, beautifully oriented, meteorite at the bottom of it. The landowner put the stone up for auction, and the University of New Mexico was the high bidder. The 2,360-lb main mass is now the centerpiece of the Institute of Meteoritics museum at UNM Albuquerque. These unusual historic specimens come directly from IOM/UNM and display original collection numbers from the institute. They are still listed in the UNM catalog. You can verify this by visiting the UNM collection page and searching for “Achondrite”, “Achondrite Groupings”, “All Achondrite Groups”, and “All Brecciation Types” for Norton County. THE INSTITUTE OF METEORITICS COLLECTION FROM UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO

Nuevo Mercurio

Olivine-bronzite, H5 Witnessed fall in Zacatecas, Mexico, on December 15, 1978 The sound of the tempest, bone-shattering roars of a bolide thundered over the cold skies above north-central Mexico at 1850 hrs. on December 15, 1978. The brilliant spectacle could be seen as far as 200 kilometers away as it rained several meteorites in a large 10-kilometer ellipsis a little ways north of the (no-longer-sleeping) village of Nuevo Mercurio. Today, the Nuevo Mercurio strewnfield has produced over 300 individual stones totaling up to about 50 kilograms. This olivine-bronzite chondrite boasts a lasting bold fusion crust and carries with it a reminder of the New Year's gift of a jolting clap from the cosmos.

NWA 10102

Ordinary chondrite (L(LL)3) Found 2010 in Morocco

Punggur

Ordinary chondrite, H7-melt breccia Witnessed fall Lampung, Indonesia, 28 Jan 2021 At 9:53 pm local time (14:53 UTC) on 28 January 2021, residents in southern Sumatra heard loud booms that shook their houses. The sonic boom was registered by the Indonesia Tsunami Early Warning System (InaTEWS). Eyewitnesses report the bolide was traveling in a W/NW direction. A 2.2 kg stone crashed through the roof of a house in the Punggur district (Kecamatan Punggur), Central Lampung, Sumatra at 5°00’22.4"S 105°16’11.9"E. The stone embedded itself in the soil beside the house. Residents of the village submerged this mass in water, believing the water to have healing properties. That same night in neighboring Gunung Sugih village (5°0’35.1518"S 105°13’13.9019"E) a woman found a ~50 g specimen that reportedly bounced off of a nearby roof. The following morning three additional masses were found: a 138 g mass that crashed through a roof and landed on a bed (4°59’46.6"S 105°14’47.6"E); a ~1700 g mass in a flooded hole in a rice paddy (4°59’56.2254"S 105°15’23.3518"E); and, a 2511 g mass was recovered from a rice paddy (4°59’50.3722"S 105°15’13.7405"E). Pieces from the ~1700 g mass were used for the classification. Further fall information and photos are found at karmaka.de. - as per the Meteoritical Bulletin

Rafsa 005

Achondrite, Angrite Found in July, 2023 north of Tindouf, Algeria

Rafsa 005 was found near Tindouf, Algeria. This area is largely desert, with extremely hot summers and warm winters. During the Sand War, this area became the site of battles between Algerian and Moroccan forces trying to claim western Algeria. 

The Rafsa 005 meteorite comes from this region. Stones totaling 2,027 grams were discovered. Scientists at the University of New Mexico studying one of these stones remarked that it has, "An oriented shape a with a wind-ablated exterior. The cut face shows dark red silicates and small metal grains with a protogranular texture." 

They have been classified as an angrite—these are stone meteorites that do not contain chondrules, known as achondrites. The angrites specifically are named after the Angra dos Reis meteorite that fell in 1869. They fall into two groups: plutonic and volcanic. 

Rafsa 005 is of the plutonic variety, and the parent body these meteorites come from is still unknown. It was once speculated that they came from Mercury, but data collected by the MESSENGER spacecraft has cast significant doubt on these claims. The plutonic angrites are igneous rocks, meaning that they formed when molten rock cooled and solidified. This leads to thought that the plutonic angrites likely formed deep within the parent body, which scientists estimate accredited within the first million years of our solar system’s evolution. 

The parent body these meteorites may have come from differentiated—formed a core, mantle, and crust—via a process of melting and crystallization of igneous rocks. This likely happened within the 2 million years after the first solids formed, about 4.57 million years ago. This means that angrites are the oldest known igneous rocks, and recorded important information about our early solar system, differentiation, and melting. 

The other interesting discovery scientists made was that nearly half of the kamacite in the meteorite had been altered to iron oxide. Looking closely at the interior of Rafsa 005, thin veins of iron oxide can be observed. 

Sidi El Habib 001

Ordinary chondrite (H5, anomalous) Bordj Badji Mokhtar, Algeria Find, possible fall: 2020 Dec Discovered in December 2020 in Algeria, Sidi El Habib is classified as an anomalous H5 ordinary chondrite. Of special note to collectors and academics are the intriguing grains of purple halite crystals encased within its interior. Halite crystals are extremely rare in meteorites, and are known to be found in only two other meteorites: Zag and Monahans. Halite is a salt crystal, similar to table salt, that is typically colorless or white. However, the halite crystals in meteorites have been turned purple by radiation in space. Experts are still studying these halites and how they came to be formed in meteorites. Studies at the University of Arizona revealed that they might have formed during early aqueous formation phases, and water trapped inside the halite crystals found in Monahans has lead them to believe that meteorites could contain water that possibly predates the sun and planets in the Solar System. Geochemistry: (L. Garvie, ASU): Halite-bearing lithology Fa19.4±0.5, range Fa18.5-20.4, FeO/MnO=37.5±3.5, n=9; Fs16.8±0.3Wo1.46±0.08, n=14. The halite contains up to 0.1 wt% K, 0.7 wt% Fe, and 0.3 wt% Br. The sylvite contains up to 0.3 wt% Na and up to 0.1 wt% Br. The ferroan sphalerite contains between 21.1 and 23.8 wt% Fe. Light-colored clast 19.2±0.3, range 18.7-19.5, FeO/MnO=37.8±2.2, n=10; Fs16.7±0.1Wo1.44±0.08, n=12. - as per the Meteoritical Bulletin

Tank Mountains

Ordinary chondrite, L–6 Found in Arizona, United States, 2010 Tank Mountains is a serendipitous find by a gold prospector near the Gold Harp Mine in the remote White Tank Mountains region. This meteorite is estimated to be around 4.5 billion years old, originating from the early stages of our solar system's formation. Individuals are orange-stained and are coated with delicate remnant fusion crust and broad regmaglypts. It exhibits a unique composition, rich in rare minerals and organic compounds, providing invaluable insights into the processes that shaped our cosmic neighborhood.

Tarda

Carbonaceous chondrite, C2, ungrouped Witnessed fall in Morocco, 2020 An extremely rare witnessed fall, Tarda met Planet Earth at 2:30 pm Moroccan time (GMT+1) Tuesday August 25, 2020 in southern Morocco. The fireball was seen by many observers and created an African sensation, with thousand of people traveling to the fall site. Some pieces were found the very next day, explaining the pristine fusion crust. There are only thirty C2s known in all meteorite history and of those, only four are witnessed falls. Tarda is ungrouped, meaning it is different from other known C2 meteorites. It “likely formed on a hydrated parent body beyond the orbit of Jupiter’ (A. King, et al). In Earth’s ancient history, did meteorites like Tarda bring the water needed for life as we know it to our young and developing world?

Tassédet 004

Ordinary chondrite, H5, melt breccia Found in Niger, 2016 Tassédet 004 also known as Tchifaddine is the seventh classified H-impact melt breccia! It is a fascinating, newly-discovered impact melt that was found near Agadez in the African nation of Niger. Whole specimens often show an unusual near-spherical shape and a rich, dark remnant fusion crust. Prepared specimens display extraordinary amounts of nickel-iron flecks, and larger slices sometimes contain metal and/or shock viens, and blebs. A unique and visually intriguing newer find that is sure to delight collectors.

Thika

Ordinary chondrite, L6 Witnessed fall in 16 July 2011 in Kiambu County, Kenya

Tsarev

Olivine-hypersthene chondrite, L5 Witnessed Fall Near Tsarev village, Volgograd district, USSR. 48°42’N., 45°42’E. December 6, 1922, 0700 hrs, found 1968, recognized 1979. 1968 was a year marked by a worldwide escalation of conflict; however, in a small village in Volgograd Oblast–the primary site of the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II, one of the largest and bloodiest battles in history–a remarkable discovery was made in the quiet fields near the rural village of Tsarev. “Tsarev,” which translates to czar, is a stone meteorite that resulted in one of the largest meteorite showers in Russian history. The meteorite shower happened on December 6, 1922, though the stones were not found until 1968. The mineral composition of Tsarev is consistent with that of ordinary chondrites: olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, maskelynite, calcium phosphates, nickel-iron, troilite, chromite, ilmenite, and rutile. Academic samples of the Tsarev meteorite reveal large grains of nickel-iron, light grey areas with a well-preserved chondritic texture, and dark areas containing a matrix with olivine grains and a relics of chondrules. Though its parent body remains unknown, experts suspect the meteorite may have originated on or near the surface of the body.

Viñales

Ordinary chondrite, L6 Witnessed fall in Cuba, February 2019 Viñales is a witnessed meteorite fall, one of the rarest natural phenomena that human beings experience. A bolide – a large meteor or a fireball – was seen falling across the sky over the province of Pinar Del Rió in Cuba on February 1, 2019 at approximately 1:17 pm local time. The meteorite’s fiery entry into Earth’s atmosphere came with several sonic booms and caused the ground to rumble, which led local residents to believe a plane had crashed. The resulting meteor shower fell on Viñales Valley, a forested area and a UNESCO world heritage site. Traditional methods of agriculture have survived there for hundreds of years, along with rich cultural elements like architecture, crafts, and music. Here, local residents and meteorite hunters recovered meteorite individuals that had penetrated the ground, broken through asphalt roads, or landed on rooftops. Viñales individuals are notable for their deep black fusion crust; the stones’ light grey interior can be seen where the crust has broken in the meteorites’ traverse through the atmosphere to Earth. Some individuals display reddish smears of laterite clay, which is rich in iron and aluminum. When sliced, Viñales exhibits striking, dark shock veins and visible chondrules, melt rock inclusions, and grains of troilite, kamacite, and other minerals. Several specimens were collected for scientific research, leaving plenty of stone individuals available for collectors and enthusiasts who hope to share in the discoveries that are sure to be made about this exquisite space rock.

Zag

Ordinary chondrite, H3-6 Witnessed fall in Western Sahara, August 1998 The Zag meteorite has a remarkable history. The fireball which produced it was witnessed by nomads in the Western Sahara. There was some debate as to the actual date, which is why the fall is described as ”August 4 or 5.” The nomads found the fall site, and packed the stone meteorites out of the desert on the backs of their camels. Nomads broke one of the large pieces up to see what was inside, hence the fragments. Zag is interesting for other reasons that its colorful recovery story. It is believed to have originated on the asteroid 6 Hebe, is one of the very few meteorites to exhibit slickenside and recent research has also shown that it contains water! Only a tiny handful of meteorite specimens boast such a colorful and fascinating history. The Zag meteorite gives us a distance glimpse of the forces and processes at work in our solar system. (Please note that Zag includes comparatively small amounts of water that were measured by sophisticated lab equipment. Water is not visible to the naked eye.) A witnessed fall is a meteorite whose arrival on our planet was seen and documented by credible observers. Witnessed falls are very rare, and are highly prized by collectors. Slickenside is a geological term used to describe a polished face on a rock, created when two adjacent masses move against each other for a prolonged period of time. While fairly commonplace on earth, slickenside is extremely rare in meteorites, and shows us that some of the processes at work on astral bodies such as large asteroids, are very similar to those which occur on our home planet Earth. Zag and Carancas are two of the very few meteorites which show slickenside, and the dark surfaces are sometimes mistaken for fusion crust.

Zhob

Ordinary Chondrite, H3-4 Witnessed fall in Baluchistan, Pakistan, January 2020, 31°22’N, 69°34’E A rare witnessed fall out of Baluchistan, Pakistan, a province known for its unique culture and extremely dry desert climate. It’s also home to the Princess of Hope, a natural rock formation resembling a woman looking out beyond the horizon, named by actress Angelina Jolie when she visited the area in 2002. On the evening of February 23, 2020, a fireball was seen streaking over the northern part of the province, followed by several sonic booms. The falling stones showered a local village in the Zhob district, with one stone striking and falling through a house located in the area. Goat herders would find the largest stone collected; most Zhob stones, of which there have been four to date, display shallow regmaglypts and a rich, matte black fusion crust. The interior of Zhob reveals a light-grey matrix sporting a breccia of light-colored clasts.