My name is Ruben Garcia - aka MrMeteorite - and I’m a meteorite hunter, dealer, and collector. I began my meteorite adventures in 1998 and since then I have found many thousands of meteorites as well purchased and sold many thousands more.

I’ve been featured in many books and magazines about meteorites. Publications like Sky and Telescope, Discover, Iguana, Meteorite Times, and even the latest book by O. Richard and Dorothy Norton, called “What’s so Mysterious about Meteorites?”

I’ve also been featured in such TV shows as, Cash and Treasures, Meteorite Men, Nova Science NOW with Neil deGrasse Tyson, and the United Stats of America - a program all about various statistics - with Sklar Brothers as hosts. Of course, I’ve also been the subject of newspaper articles all across the country as well as various NPR and BBC radio shows.


You can bid with confidence since everything I sell is guaranteed to be exactly as listed. I include a handwritten (business card size) certificate of authenticity with each specimen. If you have a question, please feel free to send a message before bidding.

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Here’s information (from the Meteorite Bulletin) about this particular meteorite.

Northwest Africa 15498
Basic information Name: Northwest Africa 15498
     This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name.
Abbreviation: NWA 15498
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2022
Country: (Northwest Africa)
Mass: 400 g
Classification
  history:
Meteoritical Bulletin:  
(2023)  CV3
Recommended:  

CV3   

This is 1 of 627 approved meteorites (plus 1 unapproved name) classified as CV3.  
Comments: Approved 20 Dec 2022
Writeup
          

Northwest Africa 15498 (NWA 15498)

(Northwest Africa)

Purchased: 2022

Classification: Carbonaceous chondrite (CV3)

History: A single 400 g stone was found by a nomad in a place of unknown coordinates. The meteorite was purchased by Carlos Muñecas Muñoz (Expometeoritos) from a dealer in Tindouf, Algeria, in June of 2022.

Physical characteristics: The sample has brownish green sand blasted exterior and has chondrules that protrude and the cut face shows dispersed chondrules, CAIs and submetallic grains in a dark green fine-grained matrix.

Petrography: Description and classification (A. Love, App) Sample shows chondritic texture composed of well-defined, rimmed chondrules (Avg. diameter 1114 µm, n=13 and abundant CAIs set within (`35 vol%) opaque matrix with FeO rich olivine (Fa49.0±2.4). Additional minerals are: troilite, spinel, magnetite and pentlandite.

Geochemistry: (A. Love, App) Olivine (Fa12.2±13.8 (0.3-42.1), Cr2O3 in ferroan olivine 0.1±0.3, Fe/Mn=55.3±58.7, n=15); low Ca-pyroxene (F1.9±1.2Wo1.4±0.7 (Fs0.9-3.6Wo0.8-2.4), Fe/Mn=10.0±5.5 n=4); pigeonite (Fs9.5Wo5.2, Fe/Mn=26.8, n=1). Magnetite has very low Cr2O3 content (0.19±0.16 wt% Cr2O3, n=5).

Classification: Carbonaceous chondrite (CV3 C-S2 wi-1) CV3 based on unequilibrated mineral compositions, presence of CAIs and abundance of matrix.

Specimens: Carlos Muñecas Muñoz (Expometeoritos) holds the main mass of this meteorite. A polished thin section and an endcut weighing 26.2 1g are on deposit at App.

Data from:
 
  Table 0
  Line 0:
Place of purchase:Tindouf, Algeria
Date:P 2022
Mass (g):400
Pieces:1
Class:CV3
Shock stage:C-S2
Weathering grade:wi-1
Fayalite (mol%):12.2±13.8
Ferrosilite (mol%):1.9±1.2
Wollastonite (mol%):1.4±0.7
Magnetic suscept.:3.27
Classifier:A. Love, App
Type spec mass (g):26.21
Type spec location:App
Main mass:Carlos Muñecas Muñoz (Expometeoritos)
Comments:Submitted by Anthony Love