Erg Chech 002 Meteorite - The Oldest Volcanic Rock in the Solar System! 0.3g

In May 2020, an intriguing collection of stones featuring unique green crystals was discovered in the Erg Chech Sand Sea region. As these were the only unusual stones visible on the dunes, meteorite hunters found their task considerably easy. None of the previously known meteorites resembled this one, leading to further investigation. After conducting a series of tests, scientists classified Erg Chech 002 as an ungrouped achondrite, a rare designation that places it amongst some of the most rare meteorites documented in scientific literature. This classification indicates that Erg Chech 002 is a sample from an asteroid that had not been previously identified or sampled. 

The significance of this meteorite garnered considerable attention. A research paper detailing findings related to Erg Chech 002 was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, capturing enough interest to be disseminated by hundreds of newspapers around the world.  

After conducting isotopic analysis, scientists concluded that the Erg Chech 002 meteorite is the oldest known volcanic rock in the solar system, dating approximately 20 million years earlier than the formation of Earth. This meteorite is believed to originate from the crust of a now-nonexistent protoplanet, characterized by an iron core, mantle, crust, and volcanoes. Surface samples from these ancient protoplanets are exceedingly rare, as their parent bodies have often been altered by metamorphic processes or obliterated by impact events over time.