Gan Gan Iron Meteorite - 88.7g

In 1983, in southern Argentina, north of Patagonia, a man gathering pinecones stumbled upon an iron mass, later confirmed to be a meteorite. Meteorites are named after the locations where they are discovered, and this particular meteorite was dubbed "Gan Gan" due to its proximity to the tiny village of the same name. Gan Gan displays a strong Widmanstätten structure, an otherworldly metallic lattice formed from two distinct iron-nickel alloys commonly observed in iron meteorites. This pattern is absent in terrestrial iron ores, making it a definitive hallmark in the identification of iron meteorites. This specimen exemplifies the exceptional quality of the Gan Gan iron meteorite.

About Iron Meteorites: Iron meteorites consist of almost entirely nickel and iron.  During the early years of our solar system, large asteroids melted and its nickel and iron sank to the core of the asteroid. Depending on the specific group and sub type of an iron meteorite, its crystal structure (also known as a Widmanstätten pattern) can be revealed through acid etching - a process that requires skillful work from a professional who will properly stabilize, slice and polish a meteorite prior to the etching phase.  This pattern is what we call a meteorite's thumbprint - a unique pattern that cannot be reproduced on any terrestrial iron and requires cooling of 1 single degree every 10,000 years.