Meteorites of Morocco: Falls and Finds

Abstract

Since the first recorded discovery of a meteorite in 1937 near the Mrirt village, a total of 1747 authenticated meteorites have been recovered in Morocco. The collection includes 21 meteorites from authenticated observed falls, which comprise five different types of meteorites, i.e., 17 ordinary chondrites including four LL6, one EH7, one EH5, one H3-5, one H3-6, four H5, one CH, two L6 and two L4, one carbonaceous chondrite, one eucrite unbrecciated, one shergottite basaltic achondrites and one aubrite. The meteorite fall recovery rate in Morocco during the past 88 years (from 1932 to 2020) on a surface area of 712. 5 km2 is relatively low, with approximately four falls recorded every 10 years, equivalent to 0.4 falls per year per 2.11 km2 . A total of 1747 distinct and authenticated meteorite finds with a total mass of 6.175 kg have been described, which include 1674 stones (442 achondrites and 1232 chondrites), 37 iron, 24 stony-iron and 12 ungrouped meteorites. The rate of recovery of meteorites (falls + finds) in Morocco exceeds that of most other countries of similar size and climatic conditions. More than 95% of documented meteorites from Morocco, including many rare types, have been recovered from the Eastern Moroccan Sahara, which has been proven to be one of the most prolific world areas for meteorite finds.