La roca volcánica más antigua del Sistema Solar: el meteorito Erg Chech 002 - 1.82 g

Erg Chech 002 was discovered in May 2020 in Algeria at coordinates 26.032°N, 1.611°W. Numerous stones containing distinctive large greenish crystals were found near Bir Ben Takoul, southern Algeria within the Erg Chech sand sea.

It has been classified as an ungrouped achondrite and has drawn much attention to scientists and collectors due to its weird-looking aspect. At the beginning many people thought it was not a meteorite but analysis has proven them wrong. Meteorite hunters in the area also noticed that it was an extremely rare type but they always knew it was a meteorite because the landscape is full of dunes and these were the only stones.

The stones lack fusion crust, and have an overall relatively coarse grained, tan and beige appearance with sporadic larger green, yellow-green and less commonly yellow-brown crystals. Some minor reddish-brown staining is evident in the groundmass regions.

It was first thought that it could be a remnant of the Earth itself. But new analysis have determined that it is an ancient survivor from the crust of a lost cousin planet that formed 23 million years before Earth itself.

It is in fact, the oldest volcanic rock we have ever discovered. It may help us understand the building blocks of planets. It dates from just 2 million years after the formation of the solar system – making it more than a million years older than the previous record-holder.

This means it was probably part of the crust of an ancient protoplanet that broke up early in the solar system’s past. We don't know asteroids that look like Erg Chech 002. That indicates that almost none of these relics exist anymore. They have crashed together and formed larger planets or been smashed to bits.

Certificate of authenticity included. IMCA 5591.

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