{"product_id":"aletai-meteorite-compact-anomalous-iiie-iron-specimen","title":"Aletai Meteorite – Compact Anomalous IIIE Iron Specimen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis 23-gram Aletai meteorite has a compact, block-like form with a distinctive stepped profile. Its broad upper surface contrasts with heavily textured sides covered in natural ridges, cavities and irregular metallic relief. The combination of relatively smooth and intensely structured surfaces gives this smaller specimen an impressive amount of character and makes it an appealing individual piece for a meteorite collection.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecimen Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeteorite Type:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Anomalous IIIE Iron Meteorite (Coarse Octahedrite)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eComposition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Kamacite, Taenite \u0026amp; Plessite, with elevated Cobalt, Gold \u0026amp; Iridium\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAccessory Minerals:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Schreibersite, Troilite, Cohenite, Haxonite \u0026amp; Daubréelite\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStrewn Field:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e More than 430 km — the largest recorded on Earth\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTotal Recovered Mass:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e More than 74 tonnes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFall Location:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Northern Xinjiang, Altay Prefecture, China\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst Identified:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 1898, originally catalogued as Armanty\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFormal Name:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Aletai, adopted in 2016\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSpecimen Size:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e ≈26mm wide × 19mm deep × 15mm high\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✓ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWeight:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 23g \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe History of the Aletai Meteorite\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Aletai meteorite holds a remarkable distinction in meteorite history: its strewn field extends for more than \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e430 kilometres\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, making it the largest meteorite debris field ever recorded on Earth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eScientists believe this extraordinary dispersal may have resulted from a highly unusual atmospheric trajectory. The incoming meteorite is thought to have entered Earth's atmosphere at a shallow angle, potentially skipping through the upper atmosphere like a stone across water before re-entering and eventually breaking apart over Northern Xinjiang.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis unusual journey also helps explain why the meteorite was not initially recognised as one enormous fall. Fragments recovered from different parts of the vast strewn field were catalogued separately for decades under names including \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArmanty, Xinjiang and Ulasitai\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Chemical and mineralogical studies eventually established that these materials shared a common origin, and in 2016 the known material was formally named \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAletai\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, after the Altay Prefecture of China.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAletai is classified as an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eanomalous IIIE iron meteorite and coarse octahedrite\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, distinguished by its unusual chemistry and a Widmanstätten pattern unlike other known IIIE irons. Its chemistry includes elevated concentrations of elements such as cobalt, gold and iridium. With a total recovered mass exceeding 74 tonnes, Aletai represents an extraordinary meteorite event and one of the most fascinating iron meteorites available to collectors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAdd This Compact Aletai to Your Collection\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDon't let its compact size fool you — this 23-gram Aletai is packed with natural texture and character. Add this individual fragment to your collection and own a piece of the world's largest recorded meteorite strewn field.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ForeverGems_SA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46971716141252,"sku":"S408","price":460.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0273\/1599\/4699\/files\/S408AletaiMeteorite_1.webp?v=1791466675","url":"https:\/\/www.forevergems.co.za\/products\/aletai-meteorite-compact-anomalous-iiie-iron-specimen","provider":"ForeverGems_SA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}