Iron Meteorites For Sale
During their high-velocity descent through Earth’s atmosphere, the surfaces of these fragments superheat and melt, creating beautiful, sculptural indentations called regmaglypts or “thumbprints.”
At Aerolite Meteorites, Inc., we offer a curated selection of authenticated iron meteorites for sale, each meticulously researched for scientific accuracy. Explore our guaranteed catalog below to find your own piece of a shattered world, backed by our world-class customer service and expertise.
Agoudal Meteorite
Iron, IIAB
Found in Morocco, 2000
In 2000, small pieces of an iron meteorite were collected near Agoudal in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Known also by its provisional name, Imilchil, the meteorite was classified as an IIAB iron. After a small specimen was sold to a dealer in Errich, who recognized it as an authentic space rock, hunters returned to the find site in 2012 and uncovered a considerable amount of meteorites, most of them small pieces found on the surface or buried a few centimeters deep.
Individuals display a beautiful natural patina and, when cleaned, some reveal orientation and flow lines with tiny regmaglypts. The vast majority of recovered pieces are too small to cut in the laboratory, but a single, unusually large mass produced remarkable sliced specimens with a rare occurrence called recrystallization. This is a consequence of, what we believe to be, a secondary asteroidal collision that reheated the material. An interesting desert iron with attractive shapes and rich natural patina.
Agoudal Meteorites For Sale
Aletai Meteorite
Iron, IIIE-an
Found 1898 Xinjiang, China
Aletai has a fascinating story, outlined in the Meteoritical Bulletin. Many iron meteorite masses had turned up in the northern part of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China, under the names Armanty and Xinjiang (b). The hulking Armanty mass weighed 28 tonnes and is also known as the “Armanty mass of Aletai,” according to the Meteoritical Bulletin entry. The other large masses, Wuxilike and Akebulake, weigh 18 tonnes and 5 tonnes respectively. Wuxilike was found by a farmer, half concealed under the Earth and covered by terrestrial rocks; heavy machinery had to be used to move the mass to the discoverer’s home. The Akebulake mass was found in the mountains in 2011, where it was half-covered by a granite slab. The piece displayed evidence of graffiti and cuts, so city officials built a road to remove the mass; it now resides in the city hall.
Aletai is primarily composed of kamacite and taenite, with smaller amounts of schreibersite and haxonite. There are only 16 iron meteorites classified as IIIE irons on record. Aletai is one of only two of these that contains anomalous chemical abundance, like a high concentration of gold and iridium.
Aletai Meteorites For Sale
Aletai Crystals
Aletai iron meteorite crystals are smaller fragments of a larger specimen. In many cases, the crystal structure of the iron meteorite is clearly visible. Aletai crystals are much more angular than their Campo del Cielo counterparts.
Arispe Meteorite
Iron, IC
Found in Sonora, Mexico in 1896
Circa 1955, a woman out walking near her rural village in Sonora, Mexico (the find site for Arispe) noticed an unusual iron-like rock weighing nearly 61 pounds. She gave the rock to her grandson who eventually moved to San Antonio, Texas, keeping the rock with him as a curiosity. Many years later, the grandson’s friend, Tim Eidson, noticed the rock and purchased it from the grandson, thinking it might possibly be a meteorite. He was correct. As an exact find location had not been noted, the new iron was originally named Nova 057 and—after donating a small piece that Tim and his friend Pete Rios had removed—the specimen was initially and incorrectly classified as a common IIAB iron. Subsequently, the "Eidson Iron" was studied by three prominent meteorite academics, including the late Dr. John Wasson at UCLA, and was reclassified as an extremely rare IC iron. There are only twelve known IC irons in all of meteorite science. Arispe is one of those twelve and, after further work was carried out, a determination was made by meteoriticists the "Eidson Iron" is indistinguishable to Arispe, and Nova 057 was discredited.
These slices, upon brand new classification, are the newly-available examples of the extremely-difficult-to-acquire historic Arispe.
Arispe Iron Meteorite
Balambala Meteorite
Balambala
Iron, IIF
Kenya, 2018
Goat herders in the North-Eastern Kenyan region where this intriguing meteorite comes from call it Dhagax Bir, which means “metal stone” in the local Somali dialect. Local residents have known of the mysterious ferrous stone for at least 50 years; a 60-year-old woman in the area recounts that she’d known about it since she was 10 years old.
Balambala is unique; the single mass was shaped like a shield and is covered in regmaglypts. Classified as a rare IIF iron, Balambala and other meteorites of this type are rich in nickel and contain high levels of gallium, germanium, copper, and cobalt. The elemental abundance in IIF irons are consistent with formation in planetesimal cores, and meteorite scientists believe these irons may have formed alongside PES pallasites (Eagle Station Pallasites).
Balambala Iron Meteorites For Sale
Campinorte Meteorite
Iron, ungrouped
Found in Brazil,1992
In 1992, miners were prospecting ores in Goias, Brazil. Mr. Laert reported he found a "steel stone" some years back. The group traversed to the locale and utilizing metal detectors discovered a half-buried 2 ton massive rock, near a pond.
A member of the group guessed the "steel stone" a meteorite and was granted permission from the landowner to remove a bit of the stone for official testing. They contacted the Museu Nacional in Rio de Janeiro, where it was confirmed to be of meteoritic origin!
It was classified by JT Wasson at UCLA as an unusual iron -- not fitting into any known group. We are pleased to present Campinorte oxide fragments. They were collected around where the main mass was discovered.
Campo del Cielo Meteorite
Chaco and Formosa, Argentina
Iron, IAB-MG
In 1576, an expedition in northern Argentina discovered a large mass of iron after hearing native legends of its existence–they claimed the mass had fallen from the sky in a place called “Piguem Nonralta,” which translates to “Field of Heaven.” The mass was forgotten until it was rediscovered in 1774 by Don Bartolomé Francisco de Maguna, who believed it to be the tip of an iron vein. Another expedition in 1783 estimated its mass at 15 tonnes and concluded it was a volcanic formation. Samples were later analyzed and found to contain 90% iron and 10% nickel, confirming a meteoritic origin. In 1969, the second-largest mass, El Chaco, was discovered, weighing around 37 tonnes. More than 100 tonnes of fragments have been found, making it the heaviest set of such finds on Earth. Attempts to steal the meteorites have been foiled, with El Chaco now protected by provincial law. In 2016, the largest-known meteorite of the strewn field was unearthed, the Gancedo meteorite, with a mass of approximately 67,902 pounds (30,800 kilograms).
On January 1, 2008 Argentina implemented a law prohibiting the exportation of meteorites. All of our Campo del Cielo specimens were legally obtained prior to the enactment of that law. We do not trade in illegally exported meteorite specimens.
Campo del Cielo Meteorites For Sale
Campo Crystals
Campo del Cielo crystals are made when a larger specimen is broken in smaller pieces. They are not in “as found” condition and have been treated to produce their shiny, tumbled appearance.
Canyon Diablo Crater Forming Iron
Iron IAB-MG, Found in United States, 1891
Meteor Crater is the most recognizable and best-known meteorite feature on Earth and is visited by many thousands of tourists annually. Recent studies estimate its age at 61,000 years.
It was also the first proven meteorite crater. Geologist, miner, entrepreneur, and visionary Daniel Barringer was convinced the feature was a meteorite crater, defying the popular opinion of so-called experts at the time. Barringer spent a fortune searching for what he believe to be a giant meteorite buried under the crater. He was right about the crater, but wrong about the meteorite. We now know that the mass fragmented and part of it vaporized upon impact. But Barringer’s insight and determination gave him an honored place in meteorite history and the site is still sometimes referred to as Barringer Crater.
Another key figure in space rock history, innovative meteoriticist H.H. Nininger, conducted many years of important research at the site and also opened the world’s first private meteorite museum alongside nearby Route 66. Meteor Crater was studied by legendary geologist Gene Shoemaker and some of the NASA Apollo astronauts were trained there prior to their moon missions.
Canyon Diablo is a steep-sided ravine some distance west of the crater and meteorites found around the crater take their name from it (the convention being that meteorites are named after the nearest town or geographical feature to their fall location and they could hardly be named after the crater that they, themselves, formed). Meteor Crater is internationally recognized as a scientific site of unique importance and meteorite collecting there is no longer permitted. Older specimens that were found during the first half of the 19th century, or earlier, when collecting was still allowed are, therefore, highly desirable.
Canyon Diablo Iron Meteorites For Sale
Cape York Iron Meteorite
Iron, IIIAB
Found in the summer of 1963 in Greenland
The Cape York meteorite was discovered by the Inuit in Greenland in the late 19th century and is estimated to be about 10,000 years old. The meteorite consists of several large masses that were known to the Inuit as saviksue, meaning “great iron.”
Expeditions to find the source of the iron were launched between 1818 and 1883 by Britain, Sweden, and Denmark, all of which failed. However, in 1894 a Western explorer, Robert E. Peary of the U.S. Navy, finally reached the meteorite in Saviksoah Island with the help of a local Inuit guide. Peary spent three years planning and executing the removal of the giant meteorite, which included the building of a short railroad. His removal of the meteorite and treatment of the Inuit garnered criticism; nonetheless, he sold the two pieces to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City for $40,000 (equivalent to nearly $1.5 million in 2024). Ahnighito, the second-heaviest meteorite to have been relocated, is so heavy that it was necessary to build a display stand with supports that reached directly into the bedrock below the museum.
Made mostly of iron, nickel and cobalt, Cape York was used as a source of iron to forge tools and weapons. In 1897, the American Museum of Natural History purchased the meteorite from the Inuit people and transported it to New York in the United States. The meteorite was subsequently cut into several large pieces, some of which are on display at the American Museum of Natural History, while others are housed in museums and private collections around the world.
Chinga Meteorite
Iron, Ungrouped
Found in Russia, 1913
Chinga iron meteorites are an ataxite, meaning is a meteorite with no internal structure, such as Widmanstätten patterns or Neumann Lines. This meteoritical marvel displays a rich abundance of the mineral taenite which is often seen in harmonious geometrical Widmanstätten patterns within other types of iron meteorites. As a result, Chinga meteorites produces a heterogenous, mirror-like surface when cut and polished.
Chinga Iron Meteorites For Sale
Dronino Meteorite
Iron, ungrouped
Found in Russia, 2000
The Dronino iron meteorite strewnfield is situated close to the Russian town of Kasimov, founded in 1152. In this decidedly rural setting, the archaic pastime of wild mushroom hunting is still practiced. And so it was that the Dronino iron meteorite was accidentally found in the year 2000 by Oleg Gus’Kov, a man in search of earthbound fungi.
Extensive work at the site by professional meteorite hunters followed and it was the site of a third season episode (“Dronino”) of TV’s series “Meteorite Men.” Due to the number of masses found, and their size and disposition, it has been suggested by expert hunters that Dronino is a buried impact site (soil crater), though no definitive evidence is currently on record.
Dronino Iron Meteorite For Sale
Gebel Kamil Meteorite
Iron, Ungrouped
Found in Egypt, 2009
While searching for ancient Egyptian settlements on Google Earth, Italian scientist Vincenzo De Michele, a former curator of the Milan Natural History Museum, accidentally discovered a new meteorite crater! An expedition to the remote site determined that the crater was, indeed, of meteoritic origin and probably about 5,000 years old. 800 kilos of material was recovered by academics and much of that is curated at the Egyptian Geological Museum in Cairo. Despite lying in the deep desert for fifty centuries and acquiring a bronze-colored patina, Gebel Kamil irons are very well preserved due, no doubt, to the area’s dry climate. Its angular shapes are typical of crater-forming irons, which makes them beautiful when lightly cleaned. But the “lizard skin” texture when natural, is unique to this meteorite. When sliced open Gebel Kamil reveals a surprising interior, a brilliant mirror finish when polished and no Widmanstätten pattern! Gebel Kamil is an ungrouped iron meteorite, meaning it does not fit into any existing classification.
Gebel Kamil Meteorites For Sale
Gibeon Meteorite
Iron, IVA
Found in Namibia, 1836
Gibeon iron meteorites, from the Namib Desert, are a favorite of collectors because of its sculpted appearance, attractive etch pattern, and lovely, rich desert patina. Some years ago, Gibeon meteorites were relatively common in the marketplace, but a ban on collecting in, and exporting from, Namibia has made these excellent irons almost impossible to obtain. Gibeons make outstanding display pieces and this desirable iron continues to increase in value as available pieces become more and more rare.
Gibeon Iron Meteorites For Sale
Haig Meteorite
Iron, IIIAB
Found Australia, 1951
The main mass of the Haig iron meteorite weighs an astonishing 479 kilograms (1,057 pounds). It was found on the Nullarbor Plain and then generously donated by its finder, A.J. Carlisle, to the Western Australian Museum in 1965. In 1968, a gentleman by the name of Cleverly revisited the area; he described the limestone desert plain but, most curiously, notated a shallow pit nearby. It is assumed the mass slammed into Earth’s surface and rolled 183 meters (600 feet) to the location where it eventually rested.
Another fragment of substantial size—22.88 kilograms—and many smaller fragments were recovered from the area. The academic team that studied the Haig iron estimated that as the 504-kilogram mass hurtled toward the Earth’s surface, it had a "terminal velocity of 500 m/sec, and came from the south at an angle of about 65° with the horizontal."
The main Haig iron is noted to be very well-preserved, covered with fluted regmaglypts and visible striated fusion crust. Etched slices show medium Widmanstätten pattern with little contrast, and schreibersite is rare. Aerolite is thrilled to have recently acquired a very few little pieces out of an old collection and offer for our first time, Haig iron meteorites for sale.
Henbury Crater Forming Iron
Iron, IIIAB
Found in Australia, 1931
The Monumental Henbury Meteorite Crater Field
The Henbury iron is an iconic figure in the world of meteoritics, famously originating from a dramatic cluster of fifteen impact craters in the heart of Central Australia. Discovered in 1931, the Henbury meteorite craters represent one of the best-preserved impact sites on Earth, serving as a landmark of geologic history. These specimens are the remains of a massive nickel-iron asteroid that shattered upon entering our atmosphere, creating a concentrated field of fragments.
A Legacy of Rare Australian Heritage
Regarded as true "heritage specimens," Henbury meteorites are prized for their finite availability and distinct aesthetic. Each piece carries a rich, reddish-crimson desert patina—a signature of the Australian Outback that takes thousands of years to develop in the arid desert air. Owning a Henbury is a rare opportunity to possess a storied piece of the Australian wilderness and a legendary artifact of cosmic history.
Las Palmas (unofc) Meteorite
Unclassified Iron
In 2006, a meteorite hunter originally hoping to extend the known boundaries of the Campo del Cielo strewnfield explored far into Formosa Province in Argentina, where he discovered a small and previously unknown meteorite strewnfield 200 miles north of Campo del Cielo, near the town of Las Palmas (“The Palms”). The zone produced about 300 kg of small, beautifully-regmaglypted and highly sculptural iron meteorites. These irons 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.
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. One highly respected researcher said he believed Las Palmas to have the same or similar structure and classification as Campo del Cielo, but stated that it was: “On the strange end of Campo.”
It is highly unlikely that two meteorite strewnfields that are perpendicular to each other and separated by 200 miles could represent the same fall, although the falls could have originated from the same parent body, but fallen at different times.
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. “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.
Las Palmas Iron Meteorite For Sale
Maslyanino Meteorite
Iron, IAB complex
Found in Russia, 1992
A Siberian Treasure: The Maslyanino Iron
Maslyanino (pronounced maz-lee-ah-NEE-no) is a fascinating iron meteorite discovered in May 1992 by an agronomist working in a wheat field near Maslyanino village in the Novosibirsk Region of Russia. Originally found as a single 26 kg mass, this specimen is a fine octahedrite that carries a distinct record of its ancient journey. Unlike many meteorites that are recovered from desert environments, Maslyanino is a temperate-climate find from the Siberian plains.
The Scientific Depth of the IAB Complex
Maslyanino is 1 of only 83 approved meteorites officially classified as an Iron, IAB complex. Unlike "magmatic" irons that formed as a pure liquid core, the IAB complex represents a heterogeneous mixture of metal and stone. These meteorites are unique because they contain significant silicate inclusions trapped within the metallic framework—minerals chemically identical to a group of stone meteorites known as Winonaites. Describing Maslyanino as having an affinity with primitive achondrites tells the story of an asteroid that was "interrupted" while it was trying to become a planet. It is a stone-metal hybrid that captures the exact moment the metal began to separate from the rock, representing a frozen snapshot of incomplete planetary differentiation.
Mount Dooling Iron Meteorite
Iron, IC
Found in Australia in 1909
A Rare Fragment of the Australian Outback
Mount Dooling is an incredibly rare iron meteorite discovered in 1909 in the remote arid regions of Western Australia. First recognized as a celestial find over a century ago, this specimen represents a fascinating chapter in Australian meteoritics. Because it was found in the rugged and dry interior, Mount Dooling has been beautifully preserved by the desert climate, exhibiting a rich, weathered surface that tells the story of its long terrestrial residence since its arrival from deep space.
The Unique IC Iron Classification
What makes Mount Dooling a prize for advanced collectors is its rare IC classification. While most iron meteorites fall into the IAB or IIIAB groups, Mount Dooling belongs to the exclusive IC group, characterized by its specific nickel and trace element content. The interior reveals a stunning Widmanstätten pattern when etched, showcasing the intricate crystalline structure that formed as the metal alloy cooled over millions of years within the core of a protoplanet. As a limited Australian iron meteorite, Mount Dooling is a prestigious addition for those seeking to own a piece of a rare metallic lineages from outer space.
Mundrabilla Meteorite
Iron, IAB-ung
Found in Australia, 1911
A remarkable Australian iron, Mundrabilla meteorites are known for their unusual zoomorphic shapes. During its long flight through our atmosphere, soft areas of the meteorite melted away leaving behind a weird and wonderful animal-like resemblance. We lovingly refer to them as alien animal crackers. Mundrabilla iron meteorite display an attractive etch pattern and is found in a very remote part of Western Australia, known as the Nullarbor Plain. It is such an unusual iron meteorite that it does not fit with any know class as is described as ungrouped (UNG). All specimens are as-found, with an orange/ochre patina.
All of our Mundrabilla meteorites for sale have legal export permits from Australia.
Mundrabilla Meteorites For Sale
Muonionalusta Iron Meteorite
Iron meteorite, IVA
Arctic Circle, near Muonionalusta Island, Sweden, first known 1906
An Ancient Arctic Legacy from Northern Sweden
The Muonionalusta meteorite is one enigmatic and storied irons discovered. Resting deep north of the Arctic Circle, this famous Sweden meteorite survived at least one ice age, having been transported and deposited by vast, long-vanished glaciers. These meteorites are found buried within terminal moraine—a chaotic mix of glacial debris—making their recovery a legendary feat. Because they were randomly dispersed by retreating ice sheets, each Muonionalusta found today represents a rare victory over the extreme conditions of the Swedish tundra, offering a direct link to the prehistoric movements of our planet’s ice.
Unrivaled Geometric Beauty: The Muonionalusta Meteorite Slice
Muonionalusta is world-renowned for its exceptionally fine Widmanstätten pattern—an intricate, geometric lattice that only forms over millions of years of slow cooling in the vacuum of space. To showcase this crystalline masterpiece, we offer a premier selection of Muonionalusta for sale, ranging from rugged individuals to the highly sought-after muonionalusta meteorite slices and spheres. Each meteorite slice for sale is expertly cut and etched to reveal its brilliant, silver-toned internal structure, making it a favorite for both high-end jewelry and world-class collections. Explore our gallery to find the perfect Muonionalusta meteorites for sale from this historic and ancient Arctic fall.
Nantan Iron Meteorite
Iron, IAB-MG
Guangxi, China
The Nantan meteorite is a main group iron, first recorded in Guangxi, China in 1958. Individual pieces typically display a rich and attractive bronze patina. Initially classified as a IIICD in the year 2000, it was reclassified as a IAB-MG in 2006. There is some speculation that Nantan irons may be remnants from a significant fireball witnessed in Guangxi Province in the year 1516 which — according to some sources — showered a large area with iron meteorite fragments. The “Meteoritical Bulletin,” however, does not list Nantan as an observed fall, and an association with the 1516 fireball has not yet been proven.
Northeast Africa 051 Meteorite
Iron meteorite (IIIAB)
Found in Libya, 2023
A Modern Discovery on the Libya-Chad Border
The Northeast Africa 051 iron meteorite was purchased in May of 2023, following its discovery along the remote borderlands between Libya and Chad. Often referred to by collectors as the “Chad” iron, this specimen represents a documented recovery from the arid Northeast African landscape. Because it was found in the hyper-arid Sahara, the iron exhibits a well-preserved exterior, showcasing the natural, wind-sculpted surface typical of meteorites that have resided for millennia in a desert environment.
A Classic IIIAB Medium Octahedrite
Classified as a IIIAB medium octahedrite, NEA 051 belongs to the most populous chemical group of iron meteorites. This group is defined by its specific nickel concentration—typically between 7.1% and 10.5%—and its characteristic internal geometry. When polished and etched, NEA 051 displays a well-defined Widmanstätten pattern. This geometric crystalline lattice formed over millions of years of slow cooling within an asteroid’s core, making this meteorite a classic and visually striking.
Odessa Iron Meteorite
Iron, IAB-MG
Found in Ector County, Texas, United States in 1922
The Odessa meteorite impact crater is located in West Texas and is recognized as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service. The crater is estimated to be about 63,500 years old and was found by a rancher looking for a lost calf on horseback.
We are pleased to present Odessa individuals and slices for sale. These iron meteorite specimens came out of a very old collection. The exteriors are well-regmaglypted and feature a natural bronze patina. The interior of Odessa meteorites display an absolutely exquisite Widmanstätten pattern and some with eye-catching inclusions.
Odessa Iron Meteorites For Sale
Orotukan Meteorite
Orotukan Iron Meteorite For Sale
The aesthetically intriguing Orotukan meteorite was found in the Magadan region of Russia in 2022. The total known mass of the Orotukan iron is 555 kilograms. The meteorite was found in an unlikely area, near the Strelka Creek. Most Orotukan slices display a nice pattern and would appear to belong to the octahedrite group, but its composition excludes it from any of the known groups. As such, it remains in the ungrouped category.
The Orotukan iron meteorite is a masterpiece of celestial geometry, emerging as a single, giant 555-kilogram behemoth from the rugged and untamed landscapes of Russia’s Magadan region. Discovered in 2022 near the secluded banks of Strelka Creek—an unlikely and providential setting for such a monumental find. When sliced and etched, Orotukan reveals a refined Widmanstätten pattern that mirrors the classic elegance of the octahedrite group, offering a visual symphony of crystalline structures that speak to its ancient, slow-cooling history in the cold vacuum of the early solar system.
Although its pattern looks familiar, Orotukan’s unique chemistry prevents it from fitting into any known classification group. The Meteoritical Bulletin notes that while it shares traits with the IAB and IID groups, it remains officially 'ungrouped.' This makes Orotukan a rare outlier—a lone relic from a lost or unknown world.
Pierceville Meteorite
Iron, IIIAB
Kansas, U. S. A. found in 1917
In 1953, Dr. Nininger reported the following: "In September, 1952, Mr. Orf visited the American Meteorite Museum on U.S.66 west of Winslow, Arizona, on his return from a visit to Kansas. He brought with him several pieces of 'iron ore' which he wished to have tested for possible meteoritic characteristics. Casual inspection indicated that the specimens were from an oxidized metallic meteorite."
After subsequent research, Harvey and Addie Nininger visited the find site and located a buried mass, using a mine detector. "We were," he writes, "given permission to excavate and proceeded to uncover a broken mass of oxide which together with the scattered fragments weighed 230 lb."
These odd looking Pierceville iron meteorite slices have double provenance; both Nininger and ASU. Aerolite traded directly with the institution.
Pierceville Meteorite For Sale
Saint-Aubin Meteorite
Iron, IIIAB-UNG
Found in Aube Champagne, France, 1968
Saint-Aubin is a rare European iron meteorite that was first found in France in 1968 by farmers plowing a field. It is an ungrouped octahedrite, meaning it does not fit into any existing iron meteorite class. Months of laboratory work were required to prepare the mass from which these slices were taken. It has not just been cut, polished, and etched, but also meticulously stabilized by an expert in meteorite preservation and preparation.
As noted in the The Meteoritical Bulletin, Saint-Aubin can display shock features, Neumann lines, iron sulfide nodules, and extraordinary schreibersite needles up to 6 centimeters in length. Schreibersite is a rare nickel-iron phosphide mineral that — apart from a single location in Greenland — is not found on Earth, but only in meteorites.
Saint-Aubin Iron Meteorites For Sale
Seymchan Siderites
Pallasite, PMG
Found in Magadanskaya oblast', Russia, 1967
Seymchan was found in Russia in 1967 in the bed of a brook. The triangular mass discovered was huge, weighing nearly 800 pounds. Researchers originally classified Seymchan as an iron (IIE), until 2004 when new material recovered from the site was found to contain lovely olivine crystals. Thus, we now have the best of both; collectors can enjoy Seymchan pallasites as well as Seymchan siderites, which display an exceptionally attractive etch pattern. Very few transitional Seymchans exist, clearly showing the core to core/mantle boundary of this amazing long dead asteroid. We are pleased to present them, along with gemmy pallasites, and alluring siderites here.
Sikhote-Alin Meteorite
Iron, IIAB
Witnessed fall in Russia, February 12, 1947
The Sikhote-Alin meteorite is a famous witnessed fall that landed in Russia at 10:38 am on February 12, 1947. That morning an estimated 70-ton mass blasted through Earth’s warm atmosphere at speeds of 25,000 mph or more. During its flight, experts estimate the surface of the Sikhote-Alin meteorites reached at least 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
As the mass hurtled closer to our planet’s crust, the pressure of ever-denser air forced it to shear and fracture along its crystalline planes, causing a monumental aerial explosion that was heard by human observers on the ground. The shockwave reportedly knocked over forest workers as twisted shards of metal rained down among snowy pines.
These meteorites fall into two categories: Sikhote-Alin shrapnel fragments, which are melted, torn, and blasted, resembling the remnants of wartime bombs. Others are Sikhote-Alin individuals, or complete pieces -- their surfaces rounded and sculpted by ablation into fantastical shapes, and covered or partially covered with scalloped indentations called regmaglypts or thumbprints. These sculpted pieces, known as individuals, present beautiful natural formations and comprise only about 20% of all recovered masses.
Soledade Meteorite
The Soledade iron meteorite was found near the city of Soledade in Brazil in 1986, where reports are that it was “being heated with an acetylene torch and hammered.” Soledade displays a unique Widmanstätten pattern and is an octahedrite containing troilite, schreibersite, and kamacite. Octahedrites have a crystal structure that resembles an octahedron; when cut and polished, they display intersecting lines of lamellar kamacite.
Soledad Meteorite For Sale
Taza Meteorite
Iron, Ungrouped
Found in Northwest Africa, 2001
A colleague of ours in Europe calls this gorgeous meteorite “The Princess of the Irons” and the title is well deserved. Found near the Moroccan town of Taza in 2001, this rare desert iron is an ungrouped (UNGR) plessitic octahedrite and is also known as Northwest Africa 859. Taza irons display a lovely caramel colored patina; many specimens retain some original blue-grey fusion crust, and many also show features of orientation. Although similar in appearance to Sikhote-Alin individuals, the Taza shower was tiny in comparison, with a total known weight of approximately 100 kg. The majority of Taza irons are very small — less than 20 grams. The popularity of this iron has increased recently, significantly depleting our available inventory.
Taza Meteorite For Sale
Toluca Meteorite
Iron, IAB-sLL
Found in Mexico, 1776
First discovered in 1776 in Mexico, Toluca, as known as Xiqipilco, is one of the oldest-known meteorites on Earth. Found in the hills west of Mexico City, there are numerous documented instances of Toluca being used in colonial times (and possibly earlier) as natural source material for making weapons and tools. The Toluca strewn field was also the site of meteorite pioneer H.H. Nininger’s first great expedition, making it an historic and collectible iron on two counts.
Toluca Iron Meteorite For Sale
Trenton Meteorite
Iron, IIIAB
Found in Wisconsin, USA in 1858
An American iron meteorite, Trenton comes to us from Wisconsin, near the Trenton Township just east of West Bend. The area is characterized by effigy mounds constructed by the Mound Builders between 650 CE and 1300 CE.
Fragments of Trenton were first found in 1858—originally, the visitors were called "Wisconsin meteorites" by chemist and mineralogist John Lawrence Smith, whose interest and work in meteorites (then known as "aerolites") spanned many decades. He eventually amassed such a fine meteorite collection that upon his passing, it became the property of Harvard College. The "Wisconsin meteorites" were brought to Smith by Mr. Increase Allen Lapham, whose attention to the strange rocks was brought by Mr. C. Daflinger, the Secretary of the German Natural History Society of Wisconsin. The 60-, 16-, 10-, and 8-pound masses were turned up near the surface, with a plough—in the same fashion as many other meteorites over our history of finding them.
Notable in the Trenton story are strange markings which Smith dubbed "Laphamite Markings," in honor of his colleague and friend I. A. Lapham. A naturalist who specialized in the Wisconsin area, Lapham is recognized as the discoverer of the Panther Intaglio Effigy Mound and the Milwaukee Formation, and is the father of the National Weather Service.
Trenton Meteorite For Sale
Turgut Meteorite
Turgut Iron, Ungrouped
The Turgut meteorite is classified as an ungrouped iron. It was found in April 1999 by Cemil Gunay while plowing a field. Gunay kept the meteorite for 10 years before it was examined by academics; a Turkish meteorite collector, Mesut Kasikci, became aware of the specimen’s existence and brought it to Dr. Catherine Caillet Komorowski of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, France.
The total known weight of the Turgut meteorite is 152 kilograms; individuals display fabulous regmaglypts and cavities, with minimal weathering, resulting in a sculptural shape. The interior of Turgut boasts a handsome and well-developed Widmanstätten pattern with fractured schreibersite grains.
Twannberg Meteorite
Iron, IIG
Found in Switzerland, 1984
Upon study, Twannberg was classified as a IIG. This rare group has only nine meteorites in its class. As stated in a study conducted by John T. Wasson, “The members of this group have low-Ni [Nickel] contents in the metal and large amounts of coarse schreibersite ((Fe,Ni)3P); their bulk P [Phosphorus] contents are 17–21 mg/g, the highest known in iron meteorites. Their S [Sulfur] contents are exceptionally low, ranging from 0.2 to 2 mg/g. We report neutron-activation-analysis data for metal samples; the data generally show smooth trends on element-Au [Gold] diagrams. The low Ir [Iridium] and high Au contents suggest formation during the late crystallization of a magma.”
Uruaçu Meteorite
Iron, IAB-MG
Found Goiás, Brazil in 1992
Uruaçu iron meteorite (pronounced “Oo – roo – ah – SUE”) is an interesting space rock, first found on a ranch in Brazil. It has a comparatively low total known weight, and a significant number of recovered specimens were very large. The entire strewnfield lies on private land and has been hunted exclusively by the owner and his agents over a period of many years. As a result, Uruaçu irons appear only occasionally on the market. It is a coarse octahedrite and when cut and etched it displays a highly attractive Widmanstätten pattern, somewhat similar to Sikhote-Alin.
Uruaçu Meteorite For Sale
Veevers Iron Meteorite
We don’t often see Veevers iron meteorite offered on the collectors market. This IIAB iron fell in Australia and was found in 1984—the largest fragment found, to date, weighs only 36 grams. The meteorite left behind a crater, which is named after Australian geologist John Veevers; in this indirect way, the Veevers meteorite may be one of the few named after a person.
The impact crater was discovered in 1975—the discovery of small, metallic meteorite fragments confirmed its origin.
Veevers Meteorite For Sale
Wabar Meteorite
Iron, IIIAB
Found in Saudi Arabia, 1863
As a rare sand impact, in a now inaccessible region of the Saudi Arabian desert, the Wabar crater field one of the most elusive and mysterious impact sites on Earth. This, the world’s only known sand craters of significant size, was formed by the impact of a IIIAB iron meteorite weighing many tons. It has a possible fall date of 1863, although some estimates put the age in the thousands of years.
The heat and pressure generated by the event formed a diverse and remarkable collection of Wabar Impactites, including exquisite black glass spheres known as Wabar Pearls. Also found are the strange Wabar Oxidized Irons –a weathered iron meteorite fragment — and the Wabar Iron, in an unaltered state!
The Wabar crater is one of about fifteen craters on Earth from which we have recovered meteorite fragments. An interesting anecdote was reported to our colleagues — some of the iron fragments from Wabar appear “popped,” this phenomena is thought to be caused by high temperatures and pressures at impact. This caused the iron to oxidize rapidly, giving the Wabar Oxidized Irons the classic “weathered” appearance — a feature which typically indicates they have been on Earth a substantial amount of time. This was first time we heard of this phenomena, and if you have further expertise please let us know. The question we ponder is — how is it we see well preserved irons and weathered irons, at the same impact site? Puzzling!
The site has always been nearly inaccessible and has only been visited a few times in history. Average temperatures in summer can reach a blistering 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Shifting sands have slowly filled in the craters over time and they are, today, almost obliterated. First discovered in 1932, differing reports place the number of craters between three and five.
Political events in the Middle East have made the area extremely dangerous and we have been advised by local experts that it is now impossible to reach. As such, we are extremely fortunate to be able to offer this rare and beautiful material.
Please visit our Impactites page for available Wabar Impactite offerings, here: https://aerolite.org/shop/our-impactites/
Wolf Creek Meteorite
Iron, IIIAB
Found in Australia, 1947
Wolf Creek, located in the wilds of Western Australia, is one of only about 15 craters on Earth that have produced recoverable meteorites and is also one of the oldest, with recent studies estimating its age at 120,000 years. It was made famous by a horror film of the same name and is revered by Aborigines as a site of mythic importance. Meteorite hunting is no longer allowed at Wolf Creek, making these old-collection specimens a must for those who are intrigued by crater-forming irons.
