Meteorite | Mars Shergottite | Amgala 001 | 6,15 g

Product detailed description

In late 2022, in the inhospitable landscape of Saguia el Hamra in the Western Sahara, an event took place that still attracts the attention of meteorite enthusiasts from all over the world. Amgala 001, a meteorite originating from Mars, was discovered near the village of Meharrize.

Said Muftah Bachir and Ziyao Wang, two experienced collectors, jointly purchased 12 kilograms of this rare find, including the largest piece weighing 5,200 grams. Mark Lyon, another avid collector, acquired 19,165 grams of the meteorite from two different dealers, while Aziz Habibi added 3,500 grams to his collection from another dealer.

The physical characteristics of Amgal 001 reveal its extraordinary journey through space. The surface of the stones is weathered brown and has a characteristic bumpy appearance. However, when experts proceeded to analyse it in more detail, they discovered a lush green-grey core inside, illuminated by darker olivine phenocrysts that give the meteorite its unique beauty.

 The most beautiful part of the meteorite, however, is the thin shock vein, which was created by the enormous pressure and temperature as the meteorite passed through the atmosphere. This particular piece was purchased directly from Mark Lyon. This will make its next owner only the 4th in the order.

More information on the composition:
A petrographic study conducted by A. Irving of UWS and P. Carpenter of WUSL revealed the complex structure of Amgala 001. Zoned olivine phenocrysts, up to 2 mm long, are surrounded by a granular matrix consisting mainly of zoned clinoenstatite and blade-shaped maskelynite, together with accessory minerals such as alkali-bearing feldspar, pyrrhotite, ulvöspinel, ilmenite, baddeleyite and chlorapatite.

For more information on the Amgala 001 meteorite, see our article