SKU:S411

Genuine Aletai Meteorite Northern Xinjiang

Name: Genuine Aletai Meteorite Northern Xinjiang
Brand: ForeverGems_Tuc26
SKU: S411
Price: 670.00 ZAR
Availability: InStock

Genuine Aletai Meteorite Northern Xinjiang

R670.00 ZAR

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1 in stock

Northern Xinjiang, China is home to one of the most remarkable meteorite fall sites on Earth — the source of the Aletai meteorite, a fall that produced a strewn field stretching at least 430 kilometres, the largest ever recorded anywhere in the world. This genuine Aletai meteorite specimen comes directly from that extraordinary site.

The meteorite was known by several names as fragments were discovered across Northern Xinjiang over many decades — Armanty, Ulasitai, and Xinjiang among them — before scientists confirmed that all recovered masses were parts of a single ancient body. In 2016, the meteorite was formally named Aletai after the Altay Prefecture in Northern Xinjiang where the fragments were concentrated. Total recovered mass now exceeds 74 tonnes, making Aletai one of the most massive iron meteorite falls on record.

Classified as an anomalous IIIE iron meteorite — a coarse octahedrite unlike any other known sample — the Aletai meteorite is distinguished by its high cobalt, gold, and iridium content, a mineralogy rich in kamacite, taenite, plessite, and rare accessory minerals, and a Widmanstätten pattern distinct from all other IIIE irons. A genuine Aletai from Northern Xinjiang is one of the rarest and most scientifically significant meteorites a collector can own.

The Specimen Details

✓ Meteorite Type: Anomalous IIIE Iron Meteorite (Coarse Octahedrite)

✓ Composition: Kamacite, Taenite, Plessite; elevated Cobalt, Gold & Iridium

✓ Accessory Minerals: Schreibersite, Troilite, Cohenite, Haxonite, Daubréelite

✓ Strewn Field: 430+ km — longest ever recorded on Earth

✓ Total Recovered Mass: Exceeds 74 tonnes

✓ Fall Location: Northern Xinjiang (Altay Prefecture), China

✓ First Identified: 1898 (as Armanty); formally named Aletai in 2016

✓ Specimen Size: ≈25mm x 24mm x 16mm

✓ Weight: 29 gram

Own a genuine Aletai meteorite from Northern Xinjiang — a fragment of China's most extraordinary cosmic legacy.

Before You Add to Cart ✨

Online Only: This exact piece is available online only. Similar pieces may be available in store so please check with us before you visit Forever Gems in Franschhoek. Want to view it in-store? Just ask — we’ll arrange it.

Photos: We shoot for accuracy, but colors may vary slightly by screen or lighting.

Size & Weight: Full details are in the description. Please check before buying.

What You See Is What You Get: The item pictured is the exact piece you’ll receive.

Authenticity Guaranteed 🛡️

Every specimen at Forever Gems is personally hand-selected and verified. We source exclusively from trusted IMCA-registered dealers, artisanal miners, and long-standing partners we meet with annually at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.

Any replica or reproduction fossils are always clearly labeled and sold separately.

Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee

We stand behind the authenticity of every fossil we sell. If a fossil purchased from Forever Gems can be scientifically proven not to be authentic, it may be returned at any time for a full refund, provided supporting proof is supplied. This lifetime authenticity guarantee is in addition to our standard 30-day return policy.

Rather than paper certificates, we rely on over 13 years of experience, expert knowledge, and trusted supplier relationships to ensure authenticity and quality.

Shipping & Collection 🚚

We ship nationwide with The Courier Guy and RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers primarily and worldwide with FedEx. Tracking provided on all orders.

Local pickup: Wellington by appointment, Franschhoek Store Fri–Sun, or Franschhoek Village Market Saturdays (weather permitting).

Own courier: We’ll notify you when ready for collection from Wellington, SA.

International: Shipping options show at checkout. Duties/taxes, if any, are paid by the buyer.

All specimens are securely packaged to arrive safely. Questions? Contact us

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