Angrite (diabasic) Sahara Desert, Mauritania

Extremely rare, angrites are basaltic rocks derived from an asteroid that is not Vesta. Angrites are among the most scientifically sought-after meteorites; less than three dozen are known. The total weight of all angrites is than 40 kg, which makes angrites among the most exotic of meteorites, much sought-after by the scientific and collecting communities. NWA 12320 is the 12,320th meteorite to be classified following its recovery in the North West African grid of the Sahara Desert. The angrite parent body from which this meteorite originated formed 4.568 billion years ago and the vugs scattered throughout the matrix attest to its rapid cooling from a volcanic lava flow at the asteroid surface. The asteroids 289 Nenetta, 3819 Robinson and 5261 Eureka have all been suggested as possible parent bodies. NWA 12320 is in effect a piece of ancient, unaltered lava from an asteroid.

Evoking an extraterrestrial puzzle piece, numerous vugs accent the cut surface of this pristine specimen. Three large vugs appear as holes as a result of where the meteorite was cut. The dark olive surface has a stippled texture and additional smaller vugs. One side of the specimen is polished. There is terrestrial tinting on the longest edge of the meteorite, indicating which portion of the stone was in contact with the desert’s surface. Angrites are the smallest and most exotic class of a volcanic stone meteorite. Modern cutting.

Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles for his assistance in preparing this catalogue.


104 x 85 x 1mm (4 x 3.33 x 0.1 inches) and 26.62 grams