{"product_id":"meteorites-campo-del-cielo-686g-velm01-3","title":"Meteorites Campo del Cielo 686g - VELM01","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLocation: Campo del Cielo, Argentina\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTotal Weight: 686g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eApproximate dimensions: from 24 mm to 44 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeight range: 21.2-25g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNumber of pieces: 30\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDETAILED DESCRIPTION\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eCampo del Cielo – a famous iron meteorite\nCampo del Cielo is one of the most famous iron meteorites, which fell in the Campo del Cielo region of Argentina approximately 4–5 thousand years ago, leaving about 26 craters. This meteorite belongs to the IAB-MG group and is mainly composed of iron and nickel, with traces of cobalt, phosphorus, and germanium. So far, about 100 tons of material have been found. The largest specimens, weighing 30.8 and 28.8 tons, are among the largest and heaviest single meteorite fragments ever to fall to Earth.\nOrigin\nThe Campo del Cielo meteorite likely originated from the asteroid belt, a region of the solar system located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, where many asteroids and planetesimals are found.\nThe asteroid belt formed from material that, due to Jupiter's gravitational influence, failed to coalesce into a proper planet. Collisions between objects may have caused larger bodies to fragment, releasing pieces that eventually made their way to Earth. Campo del Cielo is believed to be one such fragment.\nHistory and Discovery\nThe Campo del Cielo meteorite struck Earth approximately 4,000–5,000 years ago, creating a network of craters spread over approximately 3,000 km². Local indigenous populations discovered the iron fragments long before the arrival of Europeans and used them to craft tools and weapons.\nIn 1576, Spanish conquistadors learned of these \"mountains of iron\" and initiated the first official search. However, systematic scientific study only began in the 20th century. Over 100 tons have been found, making Campo del Cielo one of the heaviest meteorite discoveries on Earth.\nComposition and Structure\nCampo del Cielo is primarily composed of iron (about 92%) and nickel (about 6.7%), with small traces of other metals such as cobalt and phosphorus. It also exhibits characteristic crystalline structures called Widmanstätten patterns, visible when the surface is etched with acid. These patterns result from the slow cooling of the iron-nickel alloy in space and are a distinctive feature of iron meteorites.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"PeltramMinerals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58028150358341,"sku":"VELM01","price":897.65,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0881\/1659\/2965\/files\/59885_meteorites-campo-del-cielo-686g_954bb4a2-d374-49bb-9dd4-48c54b4557c9.jpg?v=1779381013","url":"https:\/\/moldavite.it\/en\/products\/meteorites-campo-del-cielo-686g-velm01-3","provider":"Moldavite.it","version":"1.0","type":"link"}