Vaca Muerta Meteorites. Mesosiderite-A1. Antofagasta, Chile - (25° 45'S, 70° 30'W). Found: 1861. ... (Total: 2 Items)

Description

Vaca Muerta Meteorites
Mesosiderite-A1
Antofagasta, Chile - (25° 45'S, 70° 30'W)
Found: 1861

Vaca Muerta represents the unique and understudied variety of meteorites known as Mesosiderites, which is effectively a blend of nickel-iron and silicate. The stony-iron rocks are a breccia, and this was actually thought initially to be Silver Ore when discovered by prospectors in the Atacama Desert of Chile in 1861 who did not realize they had instead found meteorites. This Lot contains two fragments from the historic Mesosiderite-A1. Geoff Notkin hunted the strewnfield for Vaca Muerta in 1997 and again in 2010 for an episode of his Meteorite Men series. The original finders broke up large pieces thinking they contained Silver. These examples weigh 72.6 and 68 grams, respectively, and both have irregular shapes with an indication of having once been part of larger masses. The rocks are deep brown. While Vaca Muerta in Spanish does, literally, translate to "Dead Cow" in English, ironically, the Valera Meteorite (of which there is a fine example in this assortment) was actually the one that killed a cow!
Measurements: 2.24 x 1.58 x 1.45 inches (5.68 x 4.01 x 3.69 cm), weighs 72.6 & 68 grams

Provenance: The Geoff Notkin Collection

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