Meteorite Recon | Irons
Meteorite search expedtions into continental deserts, meteorite features, collection specimens and photography
Meteorites, Meteorite, meteoritic, iron, meteorites, photos, pictures, in situ, strewnfield, strewn field, impact, fall, finds, Meteorite searching
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Archive

Gebel Kamil

Iron, ungrouped (ataxite)
Al Wadi Al Jadid, East Uweinat Desert, Egypt
Find: 2009
TKW: ~ 1.6 MT
Individual (shrapnel): 1,754 g

Compact shrapnel with one convex surface and jagged edges. The surface exposed in situ displays the characteristic weathering pattern of this location, which is composed of a dense array of submilimeter sized pits, very similar to the exterior texture of iron meteorites recovered from the Atacama desert in Chile. The surface protected in situ shows well conserved shear marks and secondary impact grooves. In patches, a 0.5 – 1.5 mm thick layer of impact glass from the target rock is adhering to the specimen. Under the impact glass, the surface of the meteorite is in pristine state. The Gebel Kamil meteorite shrapnels were found in and around an impact crater with a diameter of 45 meters, which in arial imaging shows a radial ejecta pattern extending up to 450 meters from the center. The crater structure was known since the early 1980s on Soviet topographic maps, where it was listed as a “source of iron”, but not recognized as a meteorite crater. In 2009 it was re-discovered by Italian scientists. The crater formed less than 5,000 years ago. In contrast to current research, and based on the degree of weathering of the meteorites and of the crater itself, we are convinced that the structure is younger than 2,000 years. Only a handful of meteorite impact craters with diameters less than 100 meters are known, thus the Kamil Crater discovery is quite a scientific sensation.

Gibeon

Iron, fine octahedrite, IVA
Southeast of Maltahöhe, Gibeon
Find: 1836 (1985)
TKW: >26 t
Individual: 29.50 kg

This specimen was found by farmer Manfred Gollub on his farm between Maltahöhe and Gibeon in 1985 and shipped to Germany under the name of its find location. With dimensions of 42 x 36 x 6.6 cm the meteorite forms a flat oval shield narrowing towards frayed edges. Due to the thin profile of the shield shape the Maltahöhe mass weighs only 29.96 kg. One slightly concave surface is completely covered with small regmaglypts which show an average extension of 2 cm and an average depth of ~1.2 cm. The regmaglypts are distributed in a random pattern rather than in a radial orientation. Their depth increases towards the centre of the concavity, which is located ~ 8 cm off the geometrical centre and on the expanded end of the shield. Though no fusion crust is preserved the overall erosion on the Maltahöhe mass can be considered very moderate. Regmaglypts are still clearly defined, extension cracks show only superficial caving or smoothing and the usual exaggeration of features common on Gibeon meteorites is absent. Scale cube is 1 cm.

Henbury

Iron, Octahedrite, IIIAB
Northern Territory, Central Australia
Find: 1931 (Alderman)
TKW: > 2 MT
Individual: 17 kg

Sculpted 17 kg individual, found in the 1960s 1.5 miles northeast of the craters by local farmer. The meteorite is shaped like a flat shield, displays distinct orientation and shows deep, elongated regmaglypts on the breastside. In order to preserve its natural appearance (the desert varnish in particular) the iron was left uncleaned, and thus still displays the typical dark red patina of meteorites recovered on the surface of the Henbury crater field.

Sikhote Alin

IIAB, coarse octahedrite

Sikhote Alin Mountains, Primorsky kray, Russia
Fall: February 12, 1947
TKW: > 20 MT
Individual: 3,600 g

Omega-shaped individual with distinct ablation features and pronounced regmaglypts. The iron meteorite is in uncleaned find condition. Fusion crust is preserved on 80 percent of the meteorite’s surface and shows numerous flowlines, splash marks and melt rims. Shikote Alin meteorite individuals in uncleaned find condition are particularly rare.

Individual 261.90 g

Perfectly oriented individual with conical apex. The flanks are shaped by deep regmaglypts, melt furrows and numerous flowlines.

Whitecourt

Iron, IIIAB
Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada
Find: July 1, 2007, specimen found on July 29, 2009
TKW: > 5,372 g
Shrapnel: 191.2 g

Jagged scallop-shaped shrapnel from the Whitecourt crater-producing meteorite. The specimen is well preserved with sharp bent edges and delicate shear marks still visible on its uncleaned surface. The handwritten specimen label by Chris Herd, curator of the meteorite collection of the University of Alberta reads:
“Whitecourt specimen 191.2g
Collected July 29, 2009 by R. Kofman and C. Herd
location UTM zone II
591939 Easting, 5984326 Northing
Found at depth of 25 cm (below modern soil)
Cleared with DI water, rinsed with acetone.
[signature] C.Herd”