A Fragment of Deep Time — Born in the Stars, Found in the Sahara

Billions of years before the first human set foot on Earth, a cosmic collision shook the solar system. The result was Al Haggounia 001 — a rare EL chondrite impact melt rock, one of the most scientifically significant meteorite types ever recovered. This 262-gram intact fragment (64 × 60 × 43 mm) is a tangible piece of that ancient violence, now available for your collection.

This specimen originates from a remarkable 118 kg single stone found in 2019 and personally acquired in January 2020. It is offered as a complete, intact fragment — raw and uncut — preserving the natural fusion crust alteration and vesicular texture exactly as nature left it.

Scientific Classification

• Classification: EL chondrite impact melt rock, vesicular
• Find Location: Al Haggounia, Morocco (2006)
• Total Known Mass: ~3 metric tons (one of the largest strewn fields of its type)
• Strewn Field: ~40 km extent; coordinates given for field center

Physical Characteristics

• Outer surface: rusty brown due to severe terrestrial alteration
• Interior color: bluish-gray to rusty brown near fractures
• Yellow sulfur patches (alteration products) widespread on surface
• Significantly porous — pore sizes range from hundreds of microns to several centimeters
• Appearance resembles a sedimentary breccia cemented by iron oxide and carbonate

Mineralogy & Petrography

(A. Jambon, O. Boudouma & D. Badia, UPVI)

• Dominant minerals: Enstatite (En98Fs1Wo1) and Plagioclase (Ab78An16Or5)
• Accessory minerals: Troilite, graphite, daubreélite, oldhamite, Si-rich kamacite, schreibersite
• Mineral suite is diagnostic of the EL (enstatite low-iron) chondrite group — among the most reduced rocks in the solar system

Discovery & History

Several tons of Al Haggounia 001 material were recovered from the ground and by excavation near Al Haggounia, Morocco, as documented by Chennaoui et al. (2007). Stones range from a few grams to 50 kg; the largest required excavation. This fragment comes from a 118 kg single specimen found in 2019 — one of the finest individual pieces from the strewn field.

This Specimen

• Weight: 262 g
• Dimensions: 64 × 60 × 43 mm
• Parent specimen: 585 g fragment from 118 kg individual (found 2019, acquired Jan 2020)
• Condition: Intact, uncut, natural fragment
• Quantity: 1 (unique specimen)

Priced at $1 per gram — exceptional value for a scientifically classified EL chondrite impact melt. A museum-grade specimen for the serious collector or institution.