SKU:S416

Aletai Meteorite Widmanstätten Pattern Specimen

Name: Aletai Meteorite Widmanstätten Pattern Specimen
Brand: ForeverGems_Tuc26
SKU: S416
Price: 1040.00 ZAR
Availability: InStock

Aletai Meteorite Widmanstätten Pattern Specimen

R1,040.00 ZAR

Sale Sold out

Shipping calculated at checkout.

1 in stock

The Widmanstätten pattern is the definitive proof of iron meteorite authenticity — an interlocking crystal structure that forms only over millions of years of ultra-slow cooling inside an asteroid, impossible to replicate in any laboratory. In the Aletai meteorite, that pattern is even more remarkable: described by scientists as distinct from all other IIIE iron meteorites, it is a visual signature as unique as a fingerprint.

The Aletai meteorite was first identified in 1898 under the name Armanty. Over the following century, additional fragments were recovered across Northern Xinjiang under different names — Xinjiang, Ulasitai — until their shared chemistry and mineralogy confirmed a single origin. In 2016, all known masses were formally unified as Aletai, after the Altay Prefecture in China. The fall created the largest meteorite strewn field ever recorded on Earth, stretching at least 430 kilometres, with total recovered mass exceeding 74 tonnes.

Classified as an anomalous IIIE coarse octahedrite unlike any known sample, the Aletai meteorite's complex mineralogy — kamacite, taenite, plessite, schreibersite, troilite, cohenite, haxonite, and daubréelite — along with its high cobalt, gold, and iridium content confirms a cosmic origin story unlike any other. The Widmanstätten pattern in this specimen is the visible expression of that extraordinary history.

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: ≈29mm x 24mm x 18mm

✓ Weight: 46 gram

Own an Aletai meteorite with a Widmanstätten pattern unlike any other — a scientifically unique specimen from the world's largest strewn field.

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

Quick links

Forever Gems

We’d love to hear from you. Whether you have a question, a comment, a suggestion, or a request, we’re here to help. You can contact us by email, phone, or social media.