Canyon Diablo Meteorite, from Arizona, U.S.A. (REF:CDM3)

Type;        Iron

Structure;        Coarse Octahedrite

Group;        IAB-MG

First Found;        1891

Observed Fall:No

Country:United States

Canyon Diablo is a name given to the many fragments remaining of the asteroid which created the Barringer Crater (also known as Meteor Crater) in Arizona USA. Pieces have been found in the area surrounding the crater and are named after Canyon Diablo which is about four miles west of the crater site.

It is estimated that the asteroid fell 50,000 years ago and pieces of this meteorite have been collected since the 19th century. In fact, these meteorites were known to pre-historic Native Americans as finds have shown.

For many years at the start of the 20th century, the Barringer crater was at the centre of a lengthy scientific dispute of the origin of craters which didn’t show evidence of volcanic action. In the 1960’s the dispute was finally settled as a result of Eugene Shoemakers study of the crater.

Around 30 metric tonnes of this meteorite have been recovered including the largest fragment to date, known as the Holsinger Meteorite it weighs 639kg (1,409 pounds) and is on display at the Meteor Crater Visitor centre on the rim of the crater.

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