Al Bir Lahlou 101 — A New, Exotic Ungrouped Achondrite — The Sole Representative Of A Previously Unknown Asteroid

About 8% of all meteorites are achondrites. About 2/3 of these are known to originate from the asteroid Vesta (see lot 29) and most others are primitive achondrites from other parent bodies or originate from the Moon or Mars. (Technically, Earth is an achondritic body as its chondrules completely melted and recrystallized billions of years ago as a result of igneous and metamorphic processes.)

While Al Bir Lahlou 001’s achondritic character is interesting, it is part of an extremely rare and highly esteemed group of achondrites; it is ungrouped (i.e., as a result of its singularly unusual chemical profile, it fails to fit into the previously established achondritic groups in scientific literature). Less than 0.2% of all meteorites are ungrouped achondrites.

Found by meteorite hunters in 2021 and entering the marketplace earlier this year, the total mass of Al Bir Lahlou 001 is only 12.4 kilograms. It is the very first meteorite found in the Al Bir Lahlou (“ABL”) dense collection area in the North African nation of Western Sahara — and it is a most noteworthy ABL debut: being ungrouped, ABL 001 is the only known sample from a previously unknown asteroid.

The cut surface reveals an intermingling of about 60% cream-hued plagioclase and about 35% vivid green pyroxene grains. In a most unusual detail, the metal contained in ABL 001 is nearly pure iron with an almost undetectable amount of nickel.

Nothing looks quite like Al Bir Lahlou 001 and this is its debut offering at auction.