Meteorite Al Haggounia 001 – Western Sahara

The Al Haggounia 001 meteorite was discovered in 2006 near Al Haggounia in Western Sahara. It was originally classified as an aubrite (enstatite-rich achondrite), but subsequent studies have reclassified it as a vesicular, incompletely melted impactic melt of enstatite-rich EL chondrite.

This meteorite is remarkable for its mass. It is estimated to have contained approximately 3 tonnes of material spread over an area of about 40 km. The fragments vary in size from a few grams to tens of kilograms. The outer surface is often rusty brown as a result of severe weathering, indicating long-term exposure to terrestrial conditions.

Mineralogically, Al Haggounia 001 is predominantly enstatite and plagioclase, with the presence of troilite, graphite, daubreelite, oldhamite, silica-rich kamacite and schreibersite. The porous texture of the meteorite and the presence of yellow sulphur stains indicate extensive alteration.